The Space Between Us
by Maxcy Leland
Summary: Lucina was supposed to help Marth with his plan, rescue him from his coin obsession, and restore him to his friends. Instead she found herself trapped in a serious problem of her own. MarthxLucina. Warning: many characters are OOC. And please read my explanation for this ship in the intro for chapter 2 before telling me that Marth and Lucina are related. Thanks!
1. Chapter 1

**This story is going to be more serious than my other work. Lucina is cheerful, but (hopefully) not goofy. Please let me know if you find any grammar/spelling errors.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters in this story.**

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Lucina shivered with excitement. She was now part of Super Smash Bros! She would get to live in the Smash Mansion and fight with her sword and make friends outside of her game. She could hardly wait.

She looked around the aftermath room expectantly. She had just been defeated by a nice looking fox with a gun. She couldn't wait to meet him and tell him how well he'd fought. He could be her first friend and introduce her to everyone else. There were sure to be other girls. Maybe they also liked to paint their nails.

Just then, the door to the aftermath room opened, and a giant hand floated in. Lucina watched it intently, her hand stealing down to her sword hilt. Then the hand cleared its throat. "Greetings, Lucina. I am the Master Hand. Follow me to your room."

Her room! Lucina practically skipped out of the door behind the Master Hand. "Do I have any roommates?" she asked.

"No. But there are several other females who have rooms right by yours."

"Awesome! When will I get to meet them?"

"You are most likely to meet people in the dining hall during mealtimes. Everyone needs to eat."

"And what kind of food is there?"

"You can order whatever you want."

"Sweet! How long will it take me to find my way around?"

"You will be assigned a guide who will show you the ropes of living in Smash Mansion."

"Great! Who was the guy who defeated me?"

"Fox."

"Yeah, the fox. What's his name?"

"Fox."

"Yeah." Just then Lucina realized that the fox's name was Fox. "Okay. Is he nice?"

"To each their own tastes."

"Of course." By now Lucina was hoping that everyone was not as dry as the Master Hand.

They reached a door that had a wooden sign on it reading 'Lucina.' My room! Lucina thought with a flutter in her stomach. The Master Hand opened the door and Lucina followed him in, and smiled a huge smile.

The room was spacious, with lots of room to practice leaps and sword attacks. There was a screen on one wall, like what she had seen the stats displayed on in the aftermath room. There was the furniture that she had picked out: a four poster bed with blue curtains, the little oak coffee table with two matching chairs, and the large oaken wardrobe where she would keep all her gear. There was a bathroom with a combined tub and shower. She could see the shampoo and conditioner that she had ordered; cherry blossom scent. And there was a tiny kitchenette with a mini fridge, a sink and counter, a microwave, and an oven. Lucina was already planning the cookies she would bake for her new friends. And there was a totally empty closet with a strange white light fixtured in the ceiling and a number pad.

"Come here," the Master Hand was motioning her to come to the screen. "You will watch this orientation video. When you finish, your guide will be waiting outside to tour you."

"Okay," Lucina cheerfully complied, seating herself cross legged on the floor before the screen. The Master Hand left the room, closing the door behind him.

The screen lit up with the Master Hand on some stage. "Welcome to Smash Bros Four!" came the Master Hand's voice. "You will compete on various stages with various opponents. The daily match up list can be accessed on Channel One of your television, which is what you are currently watching this video on. Your remote is hanging on the wall beside your television."

Lucina looked at the wall beside the television and saw a plastic thing with buttons on it, that she guessed was the remote, because it looked exactly like the plastic thing in the picture that had appeared beside the Master Hand.

"If you want, you can schedule matches between yourself and willing opponents. Just go to the office with your willing opponents and fill out a match up form. Your guide will show you where the office is.

"You can watch matches between other brawlers by tuning into the channel of the stage that they're fighting on." There were different scenes cut from brawls now being displayed. Lucina was glad to see that she was not the only sword fighter. "The list of stages and their corresponding channels can be found in the drawer under the television.

"To get to your match, you enter your white closet," (the white closet was now shown on the screen) "punch in the channel number of the stage where your match will be," (the camera panned to the number pad) "press 'enter,' and you will be transported to the stage. At the end of a match, you will be transported to the aftermath room for that stage." (An aftermath room, that was identical to the one she had come from, appeared.) "From there you can transport to your next match or back to your room.

"There are currently forty five smashers in residence." The camera panned across a long line of smashers too quickly for Lucina to catch any faces. "Now that you have joined, there are forty six. The list of smashers is also in the drawer under the television. There is the name of each smasher, accompanied by their picture and a three sentence bio that they have written about themselves. Before the day is over, you will need to write your own three sentence bio, and turn it in to the office.

"Meals are held in the dining hall." The screen now showed an overhead view of the dining hall filled with happy smashers eating. "Breakfast and lunch are both an hour long, and dinner is an hour and a half long. There are no assigned seats, so you may sit where you please. The mealtime schedule is also in the drawer under the television.

"The rules are," (they were back at the Master Hand scene), "no brawling outside of scheduled matches, no destroying any property, no bullying of anyone, no pranks that could hurt or scare anyone, no leaving the mansion grounds without permission, and ask permission before doing something out of the ordinary. These rules are listed on paper in the drawer under the television.

"There are plenty of activities to participate in at the mansion." The scene was now of smashers playing tennis and having an art class. "There is everything from training rooms to bowling alleys to card tables. The complete list is in the drawer under your television.

"If you get sick, notify the office by pressing the 'sick' button on the telephone beside your bed." (A picture of the telephone appeared on the screen). "We will take the necessary steps to get you well as soon as possible.

"Now your guide is waiting outside your door. He will take you on a tour of the Mansion and its grounds. There is also a map in the drawer under the television. Welcome again to Super Smash Bros Four."

The screen went black, and Lucina headed for the door. Who would her guide be? She hoped it would be a girl.

It was a large but very skinny blue dragon. "Name's Ridley," he said in slightly scratchy voice. "Welcome to the Mansion. Climb on my back, and I will take you on a tour. It's about two hours long."

"Hi, Ridley," Lucina replied brightly as she climbed onto his back. "Are you a brawler?"

The dragon chuckled. "Nope. I'm the boss of the Pyrosphere stage."

"Oh. Should I call you 'Boss Ridley' then?"

"Nah. Ridley works fine. Are you ready?"

"Yes!"

"Hold on!"

Lucina grabbed one of Ridley's spikes as he began running down the hall.

Two hours later, Lucina had seen everything in the mansion except her fellow smashers. She had made friends with Ridley, however, and he had promised her a bowling match. Now she was back in her room, writing her three sentence bio.

"I'm Lucina, and I love to make friends. In or out of matches, I look forward to meeting the awesome people that I will brawl with. My friends will receive cookies, because I like to bake." There. Now she had to take it down to the office. She consulted the map, and then headed out the door.

After walking for a while, she began to doubt her sense of direction. Surely she should have reached the office by now. All the doors looked the same on either side of the endless hall. She should have brought the map with her. Now she would be lost in here forever. She wanted to turn around, but she couldn't quite remember how many turns she had taken, or where they had been. She kept going, but she had sick feeling in the pit of her stomach.

Then she heard voices from behind one of the doors. Male voices. She snuck up close to the door and put her ear to it.

"You have to help me. It's your fault already that Zelda isn't falling for me. Give me some kind of suggestion."

"Zelda doesn't like me because I give her great birthday presents or take her on romantic dates. I've never done either of those things."

"Then why does she like you?"

"Why don't you ask her?"

"Because that's awkward."

"And you think it will be less awkward if I do it?"

"Well, I won't be the one being awkward. Then maybe she'll dump you."

"I'm not making a fool of myself to cater to your love life."

"That's because you like her!"

"I neither affirm nor deny."

"Admit it!"

"Never."

Lucina decided that this conversation was going nowhere, so she knocked on the door. It was opened by a young man with wild blonde hair spilling from under a long, green nightcap. He smiled when he saw her, his blue eyes twinkling. "You must be Lucina. That was a good fight with Fox, huh?"

She smiled back, encouraged by the welcome in his manner. "Yup, I'm Lucina. I got lost trying to find my way to the office. I have to turn in my three sentence bio."

"Well, we can show you the way. But first, can we hear your bio?" He opened the door wider and stood aside to let her in.

The eager 'sure' died on her lips as she saw who else was in the room. She recognized his face from her history books. Those deep aquamarine eyes, the windswept, but neat, blue hair, the firm yet gentle mouth that looked like it could laugh or shout orders as the need arose. Lucina felt a little dizzy. She subconsciously knew that the blonde fellow had grabbed her arm and was leading her to a chair. Then the perfect face was close to hers, those deep blue eyes were filled with concern as they looked into hers.

"T-the Hero King," she managed to stammer. "Are you the Hero King?"

"He's Marth," the blonde interjected, clearly confused. "And I'm Link, the Hero of Hyrule."

"Marth, the Hero King," she murmured. "This is the greatest day of my life."

"I'm pleased that you know me, lady. But where did you hear of me?" So that kind, smooth voice was the voice of Marth. Lucina felt her head begin to clear. Marth had asked her a question. It would never do to not answer.

"Forgive me," she began. "I am the Princess of Ylisse..." She trailed off, suddenly realizing that she couldn't remember much beyond that. She knew that she had a father, Chrom, but she couldn't remember anyone else in her family. She knew that she had read that Marth was the Hero King, but she couldn't remember what he had done, except that it involved a dragon and saving the world, and of course, the Fire Emblem. She knew that she had a future version of Falchion, and she knew that she had gone under Marth's name in an attempt to save the world. She was pretty sure that her quest had also involved a dragon (or was that two?) and the Fire Emblem. "I am afraid that I cannot remember much more. I pretended that I was you for a time, while I was on my quest to save the world. You are a revered hero in my country, though it has been two thousand years since your exploits."

"Don't worry. No one can remember much of their pasts. Link here, is positive that he was a great hero and that he saved Princess Zelda. And Zelda agrees with him, which a very rare thing. But neither of them can remember who Link fought or why Zelda was in trouble. We asked the Master Hand about it, and he said that we are to forge new destinies here, as this is another world."

"Okay," Lucina nodded as she slowly grasped what Marth was saying. "So here, I'm not a princess and you're not a Hero King?"

"Sort of. But if you had a title in another world that you want to be known by, most people will respect that. Most of us have overcome trials in our other worlds."

"That's okay. Just Lucina is fine with me. What do you go by?"

"Just Marth. The only one who really goes by a title is King Dedede."

"Okay," Lucina smiled. "As long as I'm not getting early amnesia. Although that would explain why I can't find my way to the office, even though I looked at the map and Ridley took me there."

"Like I said, we can take you," Link cut in. "It's not too far from here. But first, let's hear that bio."

"Alright, here it goes: I'm Lucina, and I love to make friends. In or out of matches, I look forward to meeting the awesome people that I will brawl with. My friends will receive cookies, because I like to bake." She looked up at them expectantly.

"Can I please be your friend?" Link was looking at her with puppy dog eyes.

She giggled, "Sure!"

Link pumped his fist in the air. "Let's head down to the office, then." He opened the door and Lucina and Marth followed him out.

After turning in the bio, Link asked Lucina if she wanted to play basketball, and Marth asked her if she wanted to meet more smashers.

"I want to meet more smashers," she replied without hesitation.

"Hold on a sec, then. I'm going to see where Peach is at. She's the social life queen around here." Marth pulled out a pocket sized rectangular screen. "It's my iPhone," he explained in response to her questioning look. He tapped out a message on the screen. In a few seconds, he received a reply. "They're at the pool." He looked at Lucina, "Do you have a swimsuit?"

"You bet," she replied. "But I'm not sure if I can find my way back to my room."

"I have the map app on my phone," he replied, tapping the screen. "Let's see. L. U. C. I. Oh, Lucina. There we go. Okay, follow me."

Twenty minutes later, Lucina was doing a cannonball off the diving board. She swam across the pool to where Marth and Link were beside three lovely girls who looked about Lucina's age.

"Lucina," Link said as she came up to them. "Meet your new friends."

"Hi! I'm Peach," a girl with golden hair and luminous blue eyes said. "I'm so super excited to have another girl join Smash. Zelda, Samus, and I have been feeling a little overwhelmed by the testosterone levels around here."

"I'm Samus," the other blonde introduced herself.

"I'm Zelda," the girl with light brown hair said. "Most people feel like we three are a click, but to be honest, we could use another friend. Just, don't feel like you ever can't join us."

"Nice to meet you all," Lucina said. Inside, she was thinking, Is this 'Zelda' that girl that Link likes and Marth maybe likes? She didn't know why, but she felt a sudden twinge of jealousy. She wanted Marth to like her.

Suddenly Marth's watch started beeping madly. He quickly climbed out of the pool and wrapped himself in a towel. "Sorry I can't stick around. I'll see you guys at dinner."

"That's okay," Link said. He sounded sarcastic and Lucina wrinkled her brow. Was something wrong? "Don't run near the pool!" Link called after the retreating form of the Hero King. Marth instantly slowed to a brisk walk, but was still soon out of sight.

"Cuz we all know that money is so much more important than friends," Peach muttered under her breath.

"Is everything okay with Marth?" Lucina asked.

Peach pressed her lips together in a hard line.

"Not really," Zelda said slowly.

"It's like this," Peach burst out. "For the past like eight months, Marth spends every moment that the challenges are open playing Classic mode or completing some stadium game. He has almost no time to spend with anyone anymore. His best friend is his sword. And the worst part is, he's not doing it to practice his moves, he's doing it to earn coins."

"He admitted it himself." Samus shook her head. "It's such a shame, because he used to be such a sweet, friendly guy. He was the life of the party and he worked hard to maintain good friendships with everyone. Now he's left it all in the dust."

"Too be honest," Zelda cut in, "I think this whole business is more mysterious than sad. Marth is just not like that. He's always been super generous, but now..."

"Now he's hoarding," Link snapped. "He's earning all that money, but he never spends a cent. If you're curious, you can talk to Ike. This topic makes me sick."

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 **What is wrong with Marth? Has he undergone a massive personality change, or is it something else? Hopefully I will have the next chapter ready soon. Sorry for this one being so slow.**


	2. Chapter 2

**I did not realize that writing a MarthxLucina would be an issue. I didn't mean to write an incestuous story. First off, I placed it in a different world than the Fire Emblem world. Honestly, my biggest reason for making that clear in the first chapter, was that I wanted to avoid really awkward explanations about Robin and their relationship to Lucina. Secondly, Marth and Lucina are like two thousand years apart. I would guess that they're probably about as distantly related as most American couples. (If anyone has the science to disprove/prove this, that would be interesting to hear about.) Plus, I think of fanfic as the art of portraying, not what is, but what could be. So there's my take on it. Besides, there's so many wild matchups out there, I'm surprised anyone is bothered by mine.**

 **Note to potential reviewers: I love hearing your opinions. I think they are really valuable, and I love how we can share our thoughts with each other in the fanfic community. However, I would really appreciate it if you would avoid cursing or mentioning inappropriate things.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters in this story. (Surprise. Surprise. :-/)**

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Lucina wasted no time finding out who Ike was when she went to the dining hall that evening. Then she dawdled and procrastinated about actually going up to talk to him. One look at his muscles as he squeezed through the door, and she realized that he was not the type to be treated lightly. He could be dangerous if he was angry. One look at the glowering brow as he ordered two large steaks, and she decided that he was already angry. And already dangerous.

"Note to self: avoid the Radiant Hero," said quietly as she carried her meal of triangular whatever-it-was to the long, wooden table. "And where do I sit?" she wondered aloud to herself. Peach, Zelda, and Samus had no free spaces by them, they were surrounded by guys, Link among them. Marth wasn't here yet. She wasn't going to sit by Ike.

All of the sudden a familiar looking character caught her eye. Two familiar characters, in fact. And there was an open spot beside them. She hurried over, balancing her tray carefully as she wove through the throng. "Hi. I'm Lucina," she introduced herself as she came up to them. "Is this spot taken?"

A guy and a girl with white hair wearing large coats looked up at her. "Hi, Lucina. You can sit by us," they said together.

"Thanks!" She sat down. "Um, are you two twins?"

"No. We just-" They broke off and looked at each other, indicating that the other should continue. They both got the hint and both started talking together at the same time, "are male and female versions of ourself." They looked at each other, exasperated. "You go ahead," they said to each other.

Lucina grinned, "Let me help. Male version, please continue."

"Thank you," they both said.

The male version continued, "We're both named Robin, but everyone calls me Robi to lessen confusion. Rob would have been better, but there's already a robot with that name. You look familiar, so we must be from the same game."

"I thought you looked familiar too," Lucina agreed. "But I don't know who you are at all."

"I was an advisor for Chrom." Lucina brightened for a moment, ready to say 'Chrom is my father!' But Robi continued, "Kinda demeaning, being nothing more than a suggestion maker. I could have led the army, or whatever it was. But I'm getting my rights now, Chrom serves me."

"What?" Lucina wrinkled up her brow. Had she forgotten something about her father?

"Yup." Robi reached into his huge coat and pulled out a tiny, colorful, glowing orb. He held it under the table where none but them three could see it.

"A mini smash ball?" Lucina whispered.

"Yeah. They put all the accessories through an enlarger when they pop them onto the stages. It makes storing, and borrowing, much easier."

"Okay." Lucina sounded as unsure as she felt.

"Robi," Robin looked unhappily at her counterpart, "do you have to do this?"

Robi's features hardened. "Do you want me to stop providing you with these?" He held the orb out to her. She shook her head. He turned to Lucina, "Follow me. Your pizza can wait."

Lucina and Robin followed Robi out of the dining hall, but Robin's obvious unhappiness made Lucina uneasy. And Robi had gone from being friendly to being kind of bossy. She suddenly wished that she hadn't left her sword in her bedroom.

They entered a sitting room. A burly man with slightly greenish skin and thick orange hair, eyebrows, and beard, a man in a tight blue suit with yellow boots, a red cap, and goggles, and a short man with a yellow hat and yellow gloves that all had the letter 'W' on them, all looked up from their card game.

"Y'all, this is Lucina. We're gonna let her in on our secret, cuz she's from my game. Introduce yourselves while I set up."

The short man nodded at her as he gathered up the cards and put them in the box, "Wario," he growled. Lucina didn't like the way he looked at her. It was a mean look, heartless. She wanted out, but she didn't know how to leave.

"Falcon introduce!" the blue suited man declared. "Captain Falcon, race car driver." He flipped over the table, and Lucina noticed that Robi was lying on his stomach underneath it, the smash ball in his hands.

"The big guy is Ganondorf," Robi said impatiently. "All good? Good." Without waiting for an answer, he activated the smash ball. "Chrom!" he yelled.

"On my mark!" came an answering shout from above. Lucina looked up just in time to see a streak of light come hurtling down towards them, towards Robi. Her eyes widened in terror as she stood rooted to the carpet.

The light hit the table above Robi with a sickening thump and a crack, and Lucina saw a man's motionless form lying crumpled there. Her father.

Robi came out from under the table, laughing. Ganondorf was chuckling deep in his throat, and Captain Falcon and Wario were holding their sides with laughter. Lucina looked over at Robin. She had a pained expression on her face.

"Did you see that? Slam! Priceless every time," Robi laughed.

Chrom stirred. His white cape slipped to the side as he got to his hands and knees, head bowed, eyes closed, mouth tight with pain.

"You fall for it every time, huh, Chrom?" Robi chuckled.

"You know very well that I have no choice, but to come when I am summoned," Chrom responded through clenched teeth. "Even though nine times out of ten, it is to hit myself on whatever you have set up for me."

"Everything okay, Lucina?" Robi asked her. Chrom's eyes flew open, but he stayed facing down at the table.

"I, uh, I don't think I get it," she replied slowly. "I mean, forcing Chrom here to slam himself into things, just isn't that funny."

"Excuse me?" Robi narrowed his eyes. "I let you in on our secret, and that's what you have to say?" The other four guys were surrounding her now. She could see Chrom tensing, reaching for his sword. "Chrom, I dismiss you," Robi said, without taking his eyes off Lucina.

Chrom looked up at Lucina, helplessness written all over his face, and then disappeared in a flash of light.

 _Turn on the innocence_ , Lucina thought to herself. "Well, I mean, I don't really find it very funny. Slapstick isn't my favorite form of humor, I guess. It seems to be more of a guy thing, if you know what I mean. Robin didn't seem to enjoy it that much either. Anyway, if you're going to do that sort of thing, I don't suggest a female audience, we just don't get that kind of humor." She shrugged.

"I think I get your point. Your pizza is probably getting cold." He dismissed her with that last sentence.

"I'll be heading back then. Thanks for trusting me with your secret. I'm sorry I missed the joke." She had to leave the room at a normal pace, but her heart was pounding and she wanted to run. Run back to the dining hall, run back through time to the pool when everyone was kind and safe. Robin went with her.

As soon as they were far enough away from the room, Robin whispered to her, "Please don't tell anyone about those stolen smash balls."

"Why would I tell anyone?" Lucina asked, even though her first plan of action was to report everything to the office.

"I saw that you weren't happy. I hate it too. But the fact is, Robi is the only one who is able to get his hands on smash balls, however he does it. If he is cut off from that supply by new security measures, we'll never see Chrom outside of brawls, when he comes to assist me or Robi. But as long as he gets smash balls, he gives some to me. If you promise not to tell about any of this, you can come to my room this Saturday evening, and we can talk to Chrom together. Without slapstick humor."

"Sounds good. See you Saturday, then."

In the dining hall, Lucina saw that the table had already been cleared off and the room was empty. That was fine with her. If ate anything, she knew she would throw it up. Robin had disappeared through one of doors, and that was fine too. Right now, she just wanted to be alone.

She slipped through one of the doors, closing it quietly behind her, and leaned back against it, breathing heavily. Tears prickled under her eyelids, and she blinked them back. She couldn't cry here in this hallway. Someone could come out of one those doors at any minute. Robi could come out of one of those doors.

Lucina started to run. Her feet thumping dully on the carpet. She turned corners, knowing that she was lost and not caring. She hoped that she would get so lost, that no one would ever find her. She rounded a corner and ran smack into a green shirt. A green shirt that had Link inside of it. And next to the green shirt with Link inside of it, was Ike.

"Lucina!" Link greeted her with his usual smile, and she smiled back weakly. "This is Ike. I already told him about how you want to know more about Marth's disorder. He's pretty excited to have someone who wants to help. Catch you two later." And he hurried off.

Lucina watched hopelessly as this shred of what was familiar and comfortable disappeared from view, then she turned back to Ike. Ike didn't look 'pretty excited' about anything. _Come back, Link_ , she wished desperately. She didn't want to hear about Marth's problems or anyone's problems. She plenty of her own troubles to occupy her.

"I'll walk you to your room while we talk," Ike suggested.

Her room. She definitely wanted to go there. She nodded mutely.

There was an awkward pause. Then Ike started walking, and Lucina had to hurry to keep up with his long strides.

"So Marth does everything he can to earn coins. He fights the number of matches that he has to fight, and spends the rest of his time in the stadium. At first I thought that he would get tired of it, and me and all our friends tried to get him interested in life again, but he just kept on with it. Then, everyone else got tired of trying to help, and I was left alone. I tried everything to restore our friendship, but he got even more into earning coins. I even tried to fight with him in the stadium games a couple times, but I could tell that he didn't like sharing the prize money, even though he never said so. He told me that he was saving up for a present for himself for his birthday. He said that if he was able to get what he wanted, he would share it with everyone. I told him that we all missed him, and he said that if his plan worked, we would thank him. But he wasn't going to say what his plan was, because he didn't want to get our hopes up, and then have it not work." Ike turned to look at her. "He used to be the most popular smasher here. He was always the one to go to if anyone had a problem. He's super smart and he always came up with answers. Now he tells people he'll get back to them later, or to ask someone else, because he can't help them right now. If you have any idea how to get through to him, I'll be very grateful. But honestly, it just felt really good to have someone to talk to about this. I've kinda been on my own for the past four or so months."

Lucina's heart went out to Ike. "I'll be glad to help any way that I can," she assured him. "And you seem like a really great friend; Marth is lucky to have you."

"Thanks."

And they walked quietly the rest of the way to Lucina's room.

When she was alone again she realized what had just happened. She had promised to help Marth, when she already faced a huge problem of her own. She groaned softly and sank down on her bed. If only she could talk to her father and find a way to help him, maybe then everything else would just fall into place. If she could just hang on until Saturday...

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 **My apologies to any Robin M fans. I realize that he is way OOC. Please let me know of any grammar/spelling mistakes, or any improvements that I can make in general. I tried to show not tell, but it's hard to know how I did.**


	3. Chapter 3

**This took longer than I expected, but it's a pretty long chapter as well. I hope you appreciate the fact that I stayed up til midnight yesterday, working on this. The Saturday night encounter is here.** **I'm also going to fix an issue with chapter two right now. I thought that Chrom flies toward Robin, but he actually comes from behind Robin. That probably should have told you all that this story is being written by someone who has only ever played SSB4 at Best Buy.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters in this story.**

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 _If brawls didn't keep me so busy, I would be miserable_ , Lucina thought to herself, transporting back to her room to shower before dinner. _And if I didn't have to worry about Father, this would be the most awesomest place ever._

It was Thursday evening, and Lucina felt that sick feeling in her stomach that she always got whenever she thought of Robi, or Chrom's helpless look, or Saturday. She was getting used to her smasher routine of waking up, having breakfast with Peach's clique, brawling, having lunch with new people that she'd brawled with, brawling, showering and getting that sick feeling, eating dinner with Peach's clique and trying not see Robi or Robin. Trying to make it to Saturday without crying with despair or screaming with impatience.

But when it wasn't the evening, she was able to enjoy herself. She'd made cookies for Link one lunch break. Zelda had helped her. It turned out the quiet princess really liked to bake, and she taught Lucina a new recipe. They had mailed them to Link, and exchanged smiles when they heard him excitedly inviting Shulk and Mega Man and Pit and Little Mac and Ike and anyone else to come and try the 'most incredible cookies' that he'd ever had. "Lucina is an awesome friend, you guys. You gotta get to know her," he'd said. And Marth had taken a cookie; and then another one. Lucina felt fuzzy all over.

Peach had invited her to explore the gardens of Smash Mansion after dinner one evening, and Lucina's eyes had gotten quite wide when she saw all the trees and mazes and shaped shrubs and walkways thick with flowers on either side. And she'd found that Peach didn't have it as altogether as it seemed. "Sure, all the guys chase me, but I just haven't found that any of them can really understand me. But I would hate to hurt anyone's feelings by turning them down, so I have to go on these miserably boring dates almost every night. And I act like I'm having fun, but honestly, I just want it to stop. Marth used to help by taking me on fake dates and acting like we were a couple so the other guys would lay off, but now...well, you know." The bitterness in Peach's tone as she said 'you know,' reminded Lucina of her agreement to help fix Marth. But how could she, when almost never even saw him?

Samus had shown her around the stadium, playing practice rounds of each of the games with her, showing her which parts of her moveset to rely on, and briefing her on the strengths and weaknesses of the different smashers. Lucina had done significantly better in her next round of brawls. When she thanked Samus, the blonde just shrugged it off. "It's what Marth did for me, and now I'm one of the best brawlers here. He showed me that I do better in my Zero Suit, and it really gave me an edge. I'd like to pass the favor along, especially to a fellow chick." Samus shrugged again.

She now knew the names of all the smashers, and as she walked into the dining hall, she nodded and smiled greetings to her new friends. _This kind of community is what I wanted_ , she thought. _And Robi has ruined it all_. She smiled at Robi and Robin as she slipped by them on her way to the counter to place her order. They smiled back; Robin's rather subdued smile, and Robi's confident one that always made Lucina want to take off his head.

When she turned back from the counter with her tray of food, she noticed that Marth had just entered and was heading toward the counter. Something fluttered in her stomach as he threaded his way easily and gracefully through the throng. But she was getting used to that feeling as well. Marth was hot. End of story.

Now and then he would stop and greet a fellow smasher. It was impossible to hear what he was saying over the buzz of the general conversation, but she enjoyed his facial expressions: perfect smile, pleased surprise, incredulity, general amiability. Marth was eye candy. End of story.

 _Wouldn't it be awesome to sit next to him?_

Lucina glared at herself. _Don't be stupid._

 _Well, don't you need to talk to him, if you're going to be able to help him?_

 _Yes, of course._

"Hey, Lucina. What's going on?" Marth had come up to her during her internal conflict, and was looking rather puzzled, his fine eyebrows knit together, an inquisitive smile turning up the corners of his mouth.

"Is something going on?" she asked.

He shrugged, "I don't know. Seems to me, you ran a whole gauntlet of emotions just now. You were dreamy, then angry, then you looked like you were asking a rhetorical question, and then you smiled like you were planning something." He looked at her expectantly.

"Oh. Well, I'm just not sure where to sit." She had just lied to the Hero King. She felt rather awed by herself.

He gave the room a swift glance. "There appears to be a spot over there. May I take your tray?"

"Sure," she handed it to him while straining to see which part of the table he was leading her to. She followed him through the press...and he set her tray right next to Robi. She groaned inwardly. The reason there was an empty space by the tactician, was because no one wanted to sit by him. She had found that out rather quickly.

"Robi, may Lucina sit here? I'll be back to join you guys. Thanks." And he was heading for the counter again.

Robi looked rather annoyed. "I'm fine with you sitting here, but he could have waited for an answer. He acts like he owns the place."

Lucina took her seat with mixed feelings. On the one hand, this was the last place in the hall that she wanted to sit. On the other, she was wickedly pleased that Robi had just been pushed around.

"He is the Hero King," she commented.

"Not here," came the sour reply.

"You mean that nothing about ourselves from other worlds carries over to Smash?" Lucina felt her heart beating fast as she cast out the lure.

"That's what I mean. No titles, no relationships, no successes or failures, nothing. He needs to stop giving himself airs."

"So, just out of curiosity, if we are new people here, isn't the Chrom who serves you not the same Chrom who trampled on your rights in the other world? Not that they were your rights, but the rights of the other you, in the other world. Sorry if that's confusing."

"Not so very confusing." Robi's eyes glittered at her, sending a chill down her spine. "It's true that it is a different Chrom, but this one has the same domineering spirit about him; a spirit that must be crushed out of him. And I'm afraid that I am not blessed with a nature that is overly generous with forgiveness, so I must take revenge on this Chrom for the wrongs of the other, knowing that were their roles reversed, neither would treat their men with respect. Also, I must crave satisfaction from you, because my honor has been wounded by your insinuation that I am being unfair. An arranged brawl tomorrow should settle the score. Five o'clock is a good time, right after scheduled brawls end. Finish eating so we can go down to the office and arrange it."

Lucina was stunned. "But I didn't-" she began falteringly.

Robi cut her off, leaning in threateningly, "My honor thinks that you did." His voice was low, like thunder.

"Excuse me, is it too much trouble to allow me to squeeze in here?" Marth was back with his own tray, placing it between hers and Robi's. Lucina nodded quickly and turned away to hide the fact that she was limp with relief and on the verge of tears. She tried to eat, but her hands were shaking.

"Martha, I'm trying to convince Lucina here to have an arranged brawl with me, but she's all opposed for some reason," Robi sounded innocently confused. "Tell her that there's no difference between arranged brawls and regulars. Or maybe she doesn't like brawling?"

Lucina felt the breath catch in her throat. How dare he? Indicating that a smasher didn't like his or her job was a horrific insult at the Mansion. She'd heard Little Mac mutter the infamous epithet about Rosalina. Before the hour was out, that princess had not just defeated, but humiliated him in an arranged brawl. And she hadn't spoken to him since.

Marth laughed, "I always knew that you possessed a sense of humor, Robi. Lucina's the most effervescent smasher here. She most likely just requires the after-brawl time in order to get ready for dinner."

Lucina had never been so grateful.

"Then an early morning brawl should be an option." Robi persisted.

"I'm afraid that you cannot expect Lucina to wake up early in order to provide you with a brawl. Just dip into your vast stores of patience; you'll have a regular brawl with Lucina eventually."

Her heart rate was back to normal again. She had control of herself. Marth really was a great one for helping people. "I'm cool with brawling you tomorrow, even though it will cut in on my time a bit. I was just surprised at the suddenness of the proposition. I mean, I barely know you." She smiled sweetly. "Make it a one stock brawl," she ordered.

Robi nodded and both returned to their meals. All was peaceful at their table until Marth finished eating. "See you around, Lucina, Robi, Robin. The stadium is open, and I only have so long to take advantage of it." And he was gone.

"I seriously think that if he didn't have to eat to live, he'd skip meals, just to get more money," Robi muttered. "He can't even make polite conversation for five extra minutes. Not that I care. Who wants to hang out with a jerk?"

Lucina wanted to say, "No one," and get up to leave. She stayed quiet. She had to see this game of fake friendship through to the very bitter end.

* * *

Five o'clock Friday evening found Lucina in a determined state of mind. She didn't expect to win, knowing Robi's skill. But she knew from Samus that he was most vulnerable at close range, just where she was most powerful, and she planned on showing him that she would be no easy victory.

She materialized on the stage, Battlefield, and smiled innocently at Robi standing opposite her. He smiled innocently right back at her...and hurled arcthunder. She shielded, and then charged.

It was a fierce fight. Lucina got caught in Robi's thunders several times, but she built up a good deal of damage with quick sword strikes. They both made good use of the items that dropped in, and for the first minute the outcome was a bit doubtful. But then a smash ball appeared. Lucina struck it several times, but while she was concentrating on that, Robi charged up a Thoron that knocked Lucina off the stage and up into air, and gave himself the smash ball. She flipped forward and barely grabbed the edge of the stage. She pulled herself up, but her high damage prevented her from jumping very much.

"Chrom!" Robi yelled. Lucina looked up just as Chrom grabbed her and pulled her up into the space above the stage.

She looked at him, and he looked back at her. "Believe me, I don't want to do this," he whispered. Then Robi was beside them, and between Chrom's blade and Robi's thunder, Lucina knew that she had lost. She focused on not getting too dizzy while she spun around, grateful that the computer system kept anyone from actually experiencing the pain of brawling. Then she was launched high into the air, and GAME.

In the aftermath room, Chrom and Robi stood back to back while Lucina clapped. Inwardly, however, she was congratulating herself. She had held her own for longer than she had expected.

Chrom turned her way, looking both depressed and apologetic. She winked at him to indicate that she was fine, and he warped out, eyebrows raised in surprise. She wanted to say more. She knew that he wanted to say more. _Tomorrow night_ , she reminded herself, and pressed the button that transported her to her room.

* * *

"Lucina," Robin whispered, dragging her into the room. "We need to keep quiet. I'll get the ball." The smasher ran her fingers through her pale hair, hesitating. Lucina saw her own nervous excitement mirrored in the girl's brown eyes. "I've never done this with anyone before." Robin laughed shakily. "Oh, can I get you something to drink?"

Lucina dragged her dry tongue over her lips. "Water, please."

Robin hurried into her kitchenette. Lucina could hear water streaming into a glass, and then the plop of ice cubes. She took a deep breath. Why was this so-scary? The answer came to her quickly. Robi's shadow hung over the evening like a fog on a stormy sea. She wanted out, but she knew she had to press through. From far away there came a roll of thunder. A storm.

Robin returned holding three glasses of ice water close to her body, trying to keep them from dropping. The condensation on the outside of the glasses had seeped onto her turquoise t-shirt.

"Let me get that." Lucina reached for two of the glasses and set them on Robin's nightstand.

"Thanks." Robin took a sip from the last glass and then set it beside the others. She pulled open a hidden drawer in the nightstand, and took out a half-dozen egg carton that had been decorated with a collage of pretty scrapbooking paper. "I only have one left, until Robi gets me some more. It's a tricky business. I can't tell on him, or I don't get any more of these. He has to give me some, or I'll tell on him." Robin opened the carton, revealing the smash ball.

They stood still for a bit looking at the swirl of color and savoring the moment before they took the plunge. Robin took the smash ball gently in her hand and stepped away to the center of the room. She closed her fist around it. "Chrom," she said quietly.

"On my mark!" That shout was becoming quite familiar. The next second, the swordsman had swept through Robin and alighted on the floor, boots sinking into the carpet, with his back to his summoner, facing Lucina. He turned to look at Robin, a full head shorter than him, but Lucina could see him glancing at her from time to time out of the corner of his eye.

"Robin." He sounded relieved, and sheathed his sword.

"Chrom. I...I, this is Lucina. She's a new smasher, and she's not pleased with Robi." Robin attempted a winning smile.

"Pleased to make your acquaintance." Chrom bowed to Lucina, who took a few steps forward to stand beside Robin.

"And you." Lucina bowed in return. "And just so you know, I knew I was going to lose that brawl from the start."

"It's still upsetting to have to help one's enemy," he replied.

"Chrom," Robin plucked at his sleeve. "Can I get you anything to eat?"

He smiled. "Yes, and thank you. You're an excellent hostess, Robin."

The pale cheeks flushed pink with pleasure. Robin ducked her head and dashed into the kitchen.

"Lucina," Chrom whispered urgently. "Do you know me?"

"Father?" She had meant to ask, 'are you my father,' but somehow the first part had been cut off on the way out.

"In the other world, the other me is. But here we are not related, and if Robi ever finds out that there's any special bond between us... Well, he's a clever tactician, and he specializes in making me miserable." There was another boom of thunder from far away.

"And Robin?" she whispered.

He hesitated, "She's a good person, but she's not very strong willed, giving Robi an advantage over her. The less who know, the better, anyway."

"And how are you?" She lifted a concerned gaze to him.

"I make it. I mean, it's rough sometimes. They weren't expecting me to be getting hurt, so there's no way for me to notify them and no way to fix myself, other than just letting my body heal naturally. And if they did find out, they'd put up better security, and I'd never see anyone outside of brawls and aftermath poses. As awful as it is, Robi is my key to the outside world."

They were quite close to each other now, conversing in low whispers with the clank of pans coming from the kitchen. Impulsively, Lucina threw her arms around Chrom and gave him a hug. She felt his arms close around her as well. It was a cozy moment. It felt like they were still father and daughter.

"I want to help you." She felt the tears coming, and blinked them back.

"I know. I know," he soothed. "But right now, there's nothing we can do. I've already talked it over with Robin. She's also a very good tactician, but she couldn't think of any solution. I myself have puzzled over it for hours, and I'm stuck. I want you to enjoy yourself here, not waste your life worrying about something you can't fix. Besides, now we have each other, and as long as Robi can get smash balls, we will be able to have contact."

"Do you want..." Robin's voice trailed away as she stood with her head through the doorway of the kitchen, looking at them. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to interrupt." And she disappeared again.

Lucina and Chrom broke away from their embrace. They looked at each other mutely. She saw in his eyes the clear message of 'uh oh.'

"What did you need, Robin?" Chrom asked.

"Just wanted to know if you prefer blueberries or strawberries on your waffle," Robin called. Her voice sounded a bit strained.

"Strawberries," Chrom replied.

"Sorry. It looks like they're rotten. You have to have blueberries."

"Great. She's mad at me," Chrom whispered in frustration.

"Are you going to tell her the truth about us?" Lucina whispered.

"Not if I can help it. Robi has a way of getting things out of her. I'll try to smooth things over. If that doesn't work, then I guess I'll have to tell."

Robin came in with a waffle on a plate. It had clearly been prepared with care. It was doused with syrup and a generous amount of butter, topped with a mound of whipped cream and sprinkled with blueberries. She set it on her small dining table. "There you are," she said without looking at Chrom.

"Robin, that looks incredible. Aren't you going to have one?"

"I already ate."

"Okay. Listen, Lucina here had a rough day, and I was trying to comfort her, but I don't think that I have quite the touch for that. Do you have anything that can cheer her up?"

Robin's face brightened a little. "Oh, Lucina," she said sympathetically. "Was is that brawl with Robi?"

"Not the brawl itself, but how he tried to push me into it. He insinuated that I didn't like to brawl, so that I would accept his challenge." Lucina was suddenly grateful for the insult; it was providing her with an excuse for Robin.

"I don't understand why he likes being so mean," Robin shook her head.

"Power trip," Chrom noted between bites of waffle.

Suddenly Chrom began to glow. He hastily swallowed the food in his mouth and took a drink of water. "Goodnight," he said. But his tone was dead. And he disappeared as a crash of thunder shook the mansion.

"It's not fair," Robin looked like she was going to cry. "It was my last smash ball."

"What happened?" Lucina felt a little sick again.

"Robi summoned him. If it was a brawl, Chrom would return. But it's too late at night for brawling. They're going to indulge in some slapstick." Robin stared at the half eaten waffle. Her shoulders slumped.

"There's nothing that we can do?" Lucina knew what the answer was, but she just had to ask; it was better than doing nothing.

"I can't think of anything. And believe me, I've tried. Robi's smart. He knows how to control this game; make us play by his rules. The problem with me trying to think of a way out, is that I think similarly to Robi. He's closed up all the gaps that he can find, and the chances are low that I will find different gaps." Robin turned to look at her. "If you think of something, let me know. I'm afraid that one day Robi won't be careful with Chrom, and the results could be really serious. It's a problem, and I really need help."

Something about Robin's last sentence clicked in Lucina's brain. "I'll see what I can do."

* * *

She pounded her alarm clock and it stopped screaming. 4:30 am on Sunday. _Do I really want to do this._

Chrom's face came back to her. The tonelessness of his voice as he said goodnight. Robin's expression as she looked at the waffle. The plea in her eyes.

Lucina jumped out of bed and did ten jumping jacks to wake herself up. Then she threw on her clothes, strapped on her sword, and jerked a brush through her blue hair. She gulped a granola bar as she headed out the door. Not much in the way of breakfast, but it would have to do.

The halls were dark a silent, and Lucina ran on tiptoes, holding her sword to keep it from banging anything. She had brought the map with her, so there would be no chance of getting lost today.

She reached the stadium in ten minutes. The sun was just breaking over a horizon clear of the storm clouds of last night as she hurried up to the great double doors with the smash symbol carved on them. She reached for the handle.

"It won't unlock for another minute."

She whirled to face Marth, lounging against the wall.

"Hi. I didn't see you there."

"No?" He was smiling that perfect smile. "I certainly wasn't expecting to see you here."

"I actually came to find you."

"Really?" He raised his eyebrows.

"I wanted to ask if I could help you with the stadium games. You would keep all the money of course," she added hastily, remembering what Ike had said.

He frowned a little. "I don't want to take your money."

"It would be in return for you teaching me how to brawl better. I intend to defeat Robi someday." She had lied to him again. She was good at this.

"Okay." He nodded slowly. "Robi's a jerk. He knows that I hate being called 'Martha,' so he insulted you to force me to reply. I definitely want you to beat him."

He strode forward and opened one of the doors, holding it for her to go through.

 _Operation 'get help' is on track. Get Marth what he wants, and then get him to do his famous 'help people' thing for Chrom._

Lucina entered the stadium with Marth behind her.

* * *

 **As I said in the intro, I don't own this game. Therefore, there could be a long time before the next chapter while I research stadium games in ssb4. If anyone has any info on the games, especially about how much gold you can earn from them, please PM me.**

 **And I just discovered the Final Smash comics by Yayster. They're pretty cute, and part of the reason why it took me this long to get the chapter up. The one where Robin M summons Chrom to open a jar of jam, served as part of the inspiration for this tale.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Boom! Maxcy Leland is in the house!**

 **I'm sorry this took a while, and it's not as incredible as I wanted it to be. But honestly, these chapters just get too long if I try to fit everything in.**

 **LMK what you think, what you'd like to see in upcoming chapters, etc.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters in this story.**

* * *

By mid morning, Lucina was exhausted and her stomach was ready to digest itself. Marth fought like a machine, barely pausing between games. They had done Endless Multi-Man brawls for five hours now, with almost no breaks.

"Marth," she gasped. "I need to take a rest."

"Okay," he agreed. "I have two passes for Crazy Orders that I'm going to do. I'll be back in twenty minutes. Why don't you go get yourself something to eat. When you come back, I'll teach how to maximize your Dancing Blade."

"Sounds good. Can I get you anything to eat?"

"No thanks. I fight better on an empty stomach for some reason. I'm weird that way."

Her plan was working quite well so far. Marth was teaching her his best brawling techniques, and then encouraging her to find her own 'sweet spot.' The multi-man brawls were excellent practice, and she noticed that she was improving. Until about two hours ago when her muscles started yelling at her to let up. It had been a struggle to keep up with the more experienced swordsman. But they had garnered quite a large amount of coins, and Lucina had to admit that his goal didn't seem as far-fetched now as when he had first announced it.

"You want to earn how much?!" she had asked in astonishment.

He had repeated the massive figure with some amusement.

"But that's insane. There's no way we can do that in one day."

"We shall see."

And she was seeing. Marth had commented that he was earning thirty percent more than normal with her help. They were a third of the way toward meeting the daily quota.

They reached the goal at 6:30 that evening, with five and a half more hours to go before the stadium closed. Lucina was beat.

"Now what, Marth?"

He looked at her. "You should rest and eat dinner. I'm going to keep on for the rest of the time."

"'Til midnight?" Lucina's eyes widened.

"Sure. That's what I usually do."

"But what about spending time with friends?" It sounded more accusatory than she meant.

His look hardened. "What I'm doing is important, and it's going to take sacrifice. Thanks to your help, I'm going to be able to earn extra today. That'll make it more certain that I can get what I need to by my birthday this September. If this succeeds, everyone will benefit. Especially my friends. You'll see then."

"Okay. Okay." Lucina put up her hands to fend off his angry defense. "I'm just curious. I'm new here. Okay?"

"Yeah. Sorry." He shook his head to clear the stormy emotions that had gathered. "I'm just sick of people getting mad at me for this."

"Can I ask one more question?" She gave him a sideways glance.

He nodded.

"Why does it have to be a secret?"

He shot her a questioning look.

"Ike just seems so upset by this whole thing. I'm wondering why you don't explain to him what's going on."

Marth sighed. "Shall we sit?" He dusted off a place for them on the unused bleachers, turning the back of his glove gray, and they sat down, their sheaths clanging against the long, metal benches.

Lucina watched him finger the handle of his Falchion as he stared at the ground.

"You know that rule about not doing anything out of the ordinary without permission?" he asked quietly.

"Yes," she responded in equally low tones.

"That's because of me. I read in the library about this thing called the internet. I thought it sounded cool, all available knowledge at the touch of a button. With the internet, you can type in almost any question on your computer, and find the answer. I thought we would be able to find out what our other incarnations did in the other worlds." He paused. "And we would have. I started working on setting it up. I told my friends. We were all very excited. Ness and Toon Link especially." He smiled a little bitterly. "They told everyone that we were going to learn everything about our other selves. The Hands found out, and of course they weren't too keen on the idea. They said that what we were kept from knowing was for our good. They tore apart what I'd done so far, took all engineering books out of the library, and grounded me for a month." He turned to look at her. "Don't ever do anything to get you grounded. It's awful. You're not allowed to brawl or talk to anyone. You have to work around the mansion and they only feed you food that you can't stand. For me that was barbecue ribs, pumpernickel bread, and cold broccoli, breakfast, lunch, and dinner."

Lucina whistled softly. "Was it that big of a deal?"

"Yes." He looked back down at the ground. "No one has been punished that harshly before or since. I mean, I understood why it was such a big deal after the Hands explained it to me. Basically they said that there were things about us that Sakurai didn't want to carry over to this world. They said that for all I knew, I might be an evil King who killed Ike's family. Obviously, that would ruin our friendship. So I understood. The punishment wasn't the worst part. The worst part was that everyone was so disappointed. Some people carried it well, but Ness and Toon Link were crushed. They moped around for days. People said it would have been better if I had just kept my mouth shut instead of raising their hopes. I learned my lesson. Master Hand has approved my plan, and no one else needs to know."

Lucina was quiet, watching Marth stare at the dirt, his fingers on his sword now motionless. She could tell that he was seeing all his friends telling him how unhappy he had made them. But she could also see the unhappiness of Ike and Link and Peach and the others at this present coin madness and the secrets behind it. Who was right?

Marth took a deep breath and got to his feet. "Did that answer your question?"

"Yes. Thank you for sharing." Lucina was in no hurry to get up, she had a lot to think about.

"Are you going to eat?" Something in his tone asked her to wait.

"I've got time. Do you want to do another round?"

"If you're up to it, we can do a round of Classic."

"Classic?"

"You don't know what Classic is?" His blue eyes were sparkling with excitement.

She shook her head.

"It's fun. You fight random avatars, and at the end, you fight a Master Hand avatar, and sometimes a Crazy Hand avatar. It's a great way to practice being prepared for anything."

"What's an avatar?" Lucina knitted her brows.

"Oh. It's a computer simulation of a smasher or some other enemy. It's like the person is actually there, I mean they're solid and all, but they can only perform programmed movesets and can only say the programmed taunts and stuff. They can be creepy if you look them in the eyes, but generally you're too busy fighting to notice."

"I'm already creeped out," Lucina laughed nervously.

"It'll be fine," Marth assured. "Do you want to try it?"

"Okay." Lucina nodded slowly. Freaky eyes weren't on her list of things to see, but if Marth wasn't worried, there was no reason for her to be.

She did alright until she was charged by a Robi avatar with blank eyes, looking at her without really seeing her. She stood rooted to the spot with horror. Just in time, Marth stepped between her and the avatar with a counter. That snapped her out of it, and she fought well for the rest of the team battles that allied her with Marth.

That was the first day of her new life. No longer the talks and activities with Peach and her group; she had a mission. No allowing herself to be caught up in conversation with Link or Shulk or any of the more talkative smashers; she needed to stay on track earning coins. No introducing herself to that new kid, Dark Pit. She learned how to maximize her time so as to spend every spare second in the stadium. She and Marth would start together at first, he teaching her his best moves, and then split up. She grew markedly better in brawls. Good. The faster she finished brawls, the more time she would have to spend in the stadium.

At first this life of stiff regiment was hard, but she thrust Chrom to the front of her thoughts and kept at it. After a week and a half, Marth's life had become her life. His madness and obsession had become her madness and obsession. The self-discipline came as naturally as breathing. She helped Marth carry the gold to his room every evening, and she got to see for herself how steadily they were approaching the goal, and her opportunity to ask for Marth's help. Though Chrom was still the object of her labor, she felt curiosity about Marth's secret growing stronger in her every day.

Lucina knew subconsciously that her friends were upset at this change in her, but she also knew that once they met Chrom, they would see that she had been right. Right now she couldn't worry about them, she needed to do everything in her power to help Marth.

So it was only natural that when Ness pleaded with Marth to play Monopoly with him one evening, Lucina cut in with, "I'll play with you, Ness. Marth needs to be somewhere."

Ness's head drooped a little, but he put on a smile. "Okay. I like the car, but you can be the car if you want."

"I like the thimble," she responded. Ness ran to set up the board, and Lucina exchanged a wink with Marth before heading for the game lounge.

It was quiet in there. Quiet and relaxing. She hadn't realized how long it had been since she had last relaxed. Robi and his gang were playing their eternal game of cards, seated around one end of the pool table. In the corner by the grandfather clock, Ike and Sheik were playing a silent game of chess. Somehow Link had convinced Peach to let him join her group in a game of Uno, and he was now arguing with Zelda about whose turn it was. (Apparently too many 'reverse' cards had been played.) Gannondorf, unable to concentrate on his cards, was shooting murderous looks at the back of Link's head.

Lucina was impressed with how quickly Ness set up Monopoly on a low coffee table. She sat cross-legged on the carpet, and he knelt across the board from her. They rolled to see who would go first and began.

Lucina had never played to lose before. It took a lot of mental effort to make choices that wouldn't give away her intention of finishing as quickly as possible and heading to the stadium. She was doing markedly worse than Ness who was trying to be encouraging, when from behind her Robi said, "Lucina, why are you trying to lose? There's no need to go easy on Ness. Or is there something else you would rather be doing?"

Lucina flushed scarlet and leapt to her feet, whirling to face the tactician. "I don't want to buy Waterworks, Ness never lands on it. I'm saving for Park Place."

"Ness hasn't landed on Park Place yet either," Robi remarked cooly, laying the jack of spades on the table. "Besides, that's only half the consideration. You know that you should buy what you land on frequently, no matter about Ness. Not to mention, you have enough to buy both properties right now."

"Well I won't at the rate I'm going," Lucina replied weakly.

"That's your own fault. If you don't want to play, then don't. But don't fake it." He collected the cards the others had laid. "You're all out of trump, fellows? Then it looks like I've got the rest of this hand." He smiled and revealed the queen, king, and ace of spades.

Lucina slowly turned back to Ness who was staring at her with a trembling lower lip. In a sudden movement he pushed the board off the table and ran from the room.

Lucina jumped over the table and ran after him into the hall. He was fast, but she was faster. "Ness!" she called. He sped up and she also lengthened her strides. She caught his shoulder and spun him around. "Ness. You _will_ talk this through with me."

He tightened his mouth and looked past her shoulder with strangely bright eyes.

"Ness!" She was desperate. "I'm sorry. What I did was wrong. I have a lot going on, and Monopoly just didn't seem that important." She tried to catch his eye and failed. "I guess I factored you out of the equation. You are important, and I missed that. I'm sorry." She let go of his shoulder and waited.

"Robi was right." He kept looking past her shoulder and his voice was tight. "If you don't want to play, then don't. But faking it just makes it hurt worse. Marth doesn't want to play with me anymore, but at least he doesn't lie to me." Twin tears rolled down his cheeks.

"Ness." Lucina started crying too. "Can we start the game over and play it right this time?"

He shook his head. "I don't feel like Monopoly anymore. I don't have friends who like what I like. Fine."

"What about Toon?"

"He doesn't like what I like." Ness turned and walked stiffly away.

Lucina dreaded walking back into the lounge where Robi would silently flaunt his victory. She did it anyway, woodenly picking up the scattered money, Chance and Community Chest cards, dice, and metal pawns. She barely heard when Link and Zelda got into another argument.

How could everything have gone so wrong so fast? Being an enemy of Robi was one thing. Being an enemy of a sweet little kid like Ness... Why had she been fake? She had wanted to hurry and earn coins so that she could ask Marth to help Chrom. That was important. That was good. So why was this happening?

Her thoughts were interrupted by a cry of protest from Link. She glanced over and saw that Gannondorf had snatched away Link's hat. She assumed that the hat was pretty important to Link, because he wore all the time. Even when he had changed out of his brawling outfit and was wearing jeans and a t-shirt, like now.

"What's the big idea, Gannon?" he demanded, springing to his feet.

"Listen, Greenie. For once in your life, admit that Zelda is right."

"Greenie?! I'll have you know that everyone who sees my tunic knows that beneath it beats the heart of the Hero of Hyrule."

"But here you're just one of the lower tiered smashers," Robi noted from across the room.

"Well some of us don't have to rely on magic in order to smash," Link retorted.

"Tsk, tsk." Robi shook his head. "Don't you think it's stooping a little low for you to dis Zelda like that?"

Link blanched. Snatching his hat from Gannondorf, he hurried from the room. Lucina finished putting away Monopoly and left as well. She knew that Marth wouldn't expect her for a while yet. Monopoly was a long game. But she needed some sort of action to take her mind off her troubles. She didn't want Marth to find out what had gone on between her and Ness, so that ruled out the stadium for now. Her wanderings brought her outside into the gardens. It was twilight and a cool breeze was blowing. She walked into one of the mazes and tried to lose herself in the twists and turns. It was going well, and she ran into Dark Pit.

He was sitting on the ground in one of the side niches, his knees pulled up to his chin, encircled by his arms. He got quickly to his feet when he saw her and offered a nervous smile. "You're Lucina, right? The one who likes to bake?"

"That's me," she agreed, smiling warmly. "I'm surprised you actually read the bios. I've never gotten around to it."

"Oh. Yeah, well, I wanted to see if there was anyone who wanted to try being friends with a nerd. I struck out on the guy I thought would click with me for sure."

Lucina recalled seeing Pit yell at this new guy and stalk off. "Pit?"

He nodded. "He said that if I thought I could worm my way in and replace him, I was wrong. So I read everyone's bios to see if anything looked promising. I've struck out several more times since then. They all seem suspicious of me for some reason."

Lucina laughed. "You have to admit, you do look like an evil Pit."

He laughed too. "Hey. That rhymed."

She giggled. "So what do you like to do for fun?"

"I like sports. Soccer's my favorite. What do you do in your spare time?"

"Spare time?" she repeated blankly. "It's been like two weeks since I had any spare time. I've been helping Marth save up coins for a plan that may or may not work. It takes every spare moment."

He raised his eyebrows. "Sounds intense."

"It is. He's only letting me help because I convinced him that he should take the money in return for teaching me how to brawl better."

"Why are you doing it? Are you and Marth together?"

Lucina blushed. "N-no. Not at all. I just have a problem that I need his help with, and if I can get him what he wants, then he can give his undivided attention to my issue."

"He didn't sound like the type of person that has to be bribed to help. In his bio, I mean."

"No. He's nice. I just want to make sure that he isn't distracted when he's trying to help me. It's a tricky problem that needs a dedicated brain. Besides, we're only a little over a month away from reaching goal. We'll be ahead of schedule too."

Dark Pit shrugged. "Sounds good then. Are stadium games fun?"

"Uh-huh," Lucina nodded. "Check them out if you're bored. You can nearly always find me or Marth there. I should actually be heading there now," she noted.

"Then I won't keep you," he responded pleasantly.

"Thanks. See you around." She turned to go, then remembered something and turned back. "Do you have a nickname? Dark Pit is kinda long."

"Friends give nicknames." The unsaid "And I don't have any friends" hung in the air.

"How about Dip?"

"Fine by me." It was too dark to see his face now, but she could tell by his voice that he was smiling.

 _A friend lost and a friend made_ , she thought. _I'm at zero, but it's better than negative one._

She ran into Link on the way to the stadium. He smiled in greeting, but he looked miserable.

"Robi?" she asked.

"I forgot, you were there," he answered tonelessly.

"He got me too, you know."

"You don't dream about Ness at night."

"Zelda?"

He nodded mutely. "I'm always nice to her, but she never seems to get the hint. Or maybe she just doesn't want to. Maybe I'm too argumentative for her. Or maybe I do too many card tricks. Whenever she's upset, Peach and Samus give me these fierce looks and then gesture at her with their heads. I'm like, 'Okay. I get it. I'm the reason she's upset and I'd better stay away.'"

Lucina burst out laughing. "Link, you are the most clueless guy I have ever met."

He glared at her. "I wasn't asking for more mockery."

"I was wondering what your problem was, cuz I've noticed those looks they give you too. They're signaling to you to go talk to her and comfort her, you moron. I'll bet she's liked you back this whole time, she's just waiting for you to make the first move and pursue her."

"Are you serious?!" He stared at her, wide-eyed. "And all this time... I've got some planning to do." He started backing away in the direction of the male quarters. "I will think of the perfect way to ask her on the perfect date." He turned and started to run down the hall. "Thank you for your help!"

 _Lost a friend. Gained a friend. Helped a friend._ Lucina smiled.

* * *

 **Again, sorry that it's not incredible, but I just couldn't fit it all in one chapter. I tried to give some stuff to look forward too, and I dropped a hint about what Marth is saving for.**

 **Please review! I love hearing what y'all think. :)**


	5. Chapter 5

**This is a slightly shorter chapter than normal. I'm going to be busy, so I wanted to post what I could now, instead of keeping you guys waiting. Consequently, the chapter after this may be very short when I end up posting it. We'll see.**

 **I just wanted to thank my awesome guest reviewers. I don't whether all of you are still reading or not, but I really loved hearing everything you had to say and suggest. :)**

* * *

There was a bitter smile on Lucina's face as she swung at an enemy avatar. The smile was because Robin had invited her to another secret meeting with Chrom that night. The bitterness was a natural product of thinking about Chrom's predicament. Times like these always fired her fighting spirit, and so it was only natural that she should finish that run of Classic in record time.

She could tell that Marth was in a good mood as she handing him her winnings in his room that evening. He seemed to be happy a lot lately. Always looking at her with that wonderful smile that always prompted her to smile back. He also seemed more distracted. She often had to remind him that they only had so long to rest and chat.

He was focused now, calculating the amount they had earned that day. "We're going to finish a month ahead of schedule if we keep this up," he declared with a smile. Suddenly he grabbed her hands and spun around the room with her. "Lucina," he laughed excitedly, "I can't believe how close we are! Just three more weeks. It's going to be so wonderful. I can't thank you enough for helping me." His eyes were shining and his smile was infectious.

 _I know how you can thank me_ , she thought. _And I can tell that you're definitely going to want to help me in return when we're done with this._

While Marth entered the daily earnings in the spreadsheet dedicated to the purpose, Lucina looked around at the pictures of his friends that hung on the wall. She knew most of the people in them, and it was fun to see how they'd changed over the years. Some faces, however, were new. There was that red-headed kid from Melee that seemed to be really tight with Marth. The guy wearing a super tight gray suit; he looked like a spy. Young Link. That must have been interesting. Those twins dressed for the snow. And Marth. He'd changed a lot over the years. A familiar face caught her eye. Chrom. Marth and Ike were caught in Robi's final smash. Chrom had his sword raised high above his head, a fierce look on his face. But somehow the fierceness didn't carry over to his eyes. His eyes were expressionless and tired. She tightened her lips. She would see him tonight, and hopefully be able to tell him her plan and how it was progressing. Or should she keep quiet and not raise his hopes? After all, this plan wasn't a sure thing by a long shot.

 **000**

The half-dozen egg carton had three smash balls in it. Robin took one out. She didn't seem as excited this time, but Robin was always subdued. Lucina didn't allow herself to dwell on other reasons behind Robin's quiet. She didn't want to add anymore storm clouds to her horizons.

Chrom came in as before. His face lit up when he saw Lucina, and Robin's smile grew tight as she invited them both to sit down at her tiny dining table. They chatted comfortably over a dinner of spaghetti and meatballs. Lucina noticed how Robin relaxed and blossomed under the influence of Chrom's easy conversation, warm smiles, and ready compliments.

 _They're such a perfect couple. I hope Robin isn't over-thinking that one hug._

Robin seemed at ease by the time dinner came to an end. "I made arrangements with Robi, so we're not going to be interrupted tonight," she smiled. "I'll get dessert." She stacked the dishes and Lucina and Chrom added the silverware on top.

"Can I help with anything?" Lucina asked, hoping that Robin would say 'no.'

"Yes," Chrom agreed. "You can't do everything yourself, Robin."

"I'll be fine. Besides," here she looked meaningfully at Chrom, "you can't afford to do anything extra. Rest."

Chrom settled back in his chair looking tired and...old. Robin gave him a stern look before turning away with the pile of dishes.

"Are you okay?" Lucina knit her brows as she looked at Chrom.

He sighed. "The point for Robin is that I could be better. I'm not leading the most healthy lifestyle." He forced a smile. "Let's not dwell on that, okay?"

"Okay." She scooted her chair around the table until she was next to him. "I've got a plan that probably won't work." There. She had said it. Secret keeping was clearly a Marth thing.

"Oh?" There was interest, but not much hope.

She outlined the plan to him and then waited, looking up into his face while he stared at the place where the wall and ceiling met.

When he spoke, it was slowly and quietly. "Lucina, I told you that I don't want you to waste your time, consumed with a problem that you can't fix. From what you've said, it sounds like you're working yourself into the ground for pie in the sky." He looked down at her, a father admonishing his daughter.

She raised a sly eyebrow. "Think of it this way- if this works, you'll be able to stop me."

He laughed and she leaned against him, letting her head rest on his shoulder, smiling. His arm circled around her and squeezed her to him. It was one of those perfect moments when everything is just right. His laughter suddenly caught in his throat and turned to a half sob. She turned her head to look up at him. What was wrong?

He noticed her gaze and gave an apologetic smile, his eyes bright with tears. "It just feels so good to be close to someone like this. To get a friendly touch, a hug."

Because all he ever got were beatings.

"I can't do this with Robin. I mean it's awkward enough that we've been meeting alone..." He trailed off. At the mention of Robin, they pulled away from each other. And then Robin walked in with three plates of strawberry shortcake balanced on a tray. She looked at the proximity of their chairs, and without a word placed their desserts in front of them and put hers on the opposite end of the table, pulling her chair after her.

Lucina picked up her fork and started eating. She kept her eyes on her plate, and she was pretty sure Chrom was doing the same.

 **000**

"Lucina." The sound of Ridley's scratchy voice brought a smile to her face, and she turned in the hall to meet him as he came up behind her. "We've yet to play that bowling match. Are you available?"

She shook her head, still smiling. "I need to earn coins." It was Saturday, one of the best days for raking in cash at the stadium.

Ridley looked at her for a moment. "You're just like Marth now, aren't you?"

Her smile faded. What to do? The memory of Ness was fresh in her mind, though the incident was several days old. But she knew more intensely than before that Chrom needed this. She made up her mind. The most important thing was not to fake. "Ridley, I need coins for something that is very important to me. But I also want to bowl with you. Can we play after the stadium closes?"

"Sure." She couldn't see a smile, but the tone of his voice showed that he was satisfied.

12:30 a.m. found her and the blue dragon alone in the bowling alley. She was exhausted, but Marth had told her to sleep in tomorrow. Since they were ahead of schedule, they could be flexible.

And Ridley was pretty interesting. It turned out that he really liked to go cliff diving. "You stand on the edge of a cliff, and let yourself tip over the side. Then at the last second, you spread your wings and glide. There's actually a wide river, really a moat, that goes all around the Mansion, about a mile out. It's my favorite spot. It's out of bounds for smashers, meaning you'd have to get special permission to go there, but you've got a clean record."

"Have you met Dip?"

"Who?"

"Oh, sorry, Dark Pit. I wonder if he'd like to try cliff diving."

"Do you think so?" His excitement caused a gutter-ball, but he paid no attention. "That would be so fun. I took him on the tour, but we didn't really discuss hobbies. I struck out with Pit. The guy said he already had friends."

Lucina huffed as she sent her ball into the pins. "I think that kid needs taking down a notch or two. He also gave Dip the cold shoulder."

"You know, if you're cool with heights, I could dive with you on my back."

"I'm terrified of heights," Lucina confessed. "I'd puke all over you for sure."

Ridley laughed his strange dragon laugh. "No pressure then."

"Thank you. It would be really cool to watch though. You and Dip could have contests and stuff. I could time you." She giggled. "I love this place, there's always something to do."

"Yeah."

They bowled in silence. Just being happy. Ridley bought snacks and water from the vending machines, and after the match (which Ridley won) they sat and ate. Lucina was too tired to get up and leave. The lights went off, no longer sensing any activity. I'm sleeping in tomorrow, she kept reminding herself. She turned to look at the clock hanging over the door and a movement in the hall beyond caught her attention.

Who was out there this late? A shadowy figure about her height had just passed the opening to the bowling alleys, followed closely by a tall figure, then a very short figure, and finally another tall and burly figure. Robi and his gang.

"Ridley," she whispered frantically. "I've gotta go now. Is there any way to keep these lights from turning back on when I move?"

He understood what she wanted. "Not that I know of," he whispered back. "But if you're good at sneaking, no one needs to know that I wasn't the one who turned them on."

"Thanks." She laid a hand on him lightly before scrambling to her feet and slipping into the shadows along the wall. The lights blazed on and she dashed for the cover of the vending machine. Just in time.

"Oh. Hey, Ridley." That was Robi's friendly voice. "What are you doing up so late?"

"I'll tell you if you tell me what you're up to." Good old Ridley.

"I was just getting some supplies that I needed. My buddies and I know how to have a party." They had parties by beating up a helpless man.

"Sounds fun. I..." Ridley suddenly sounded embarrassed. "I want to have a bowling match with Dark Pit. But before I ask him, I've gotta make sure my skills are up to par."

"Cool, cool. Well I'm gonna run. Nice to see you."

A minute later Ridley whispered, "All clear."

Lucina walked into the open, heart pounding. "Thanks, Ridley. Robi is always such a jerk to me, I really didn't want to run into him."

"No problem. Have a good night."

"You too."

Out in the dark hall, she took off her boots and held them as she hurried on silent feet in the direction that Robi had gone. Soon she could hear them up ahead, and she slowed.

"Chrom won't be expecting what we're gonna do to him tonight," Wario chuckled.

"Keep it down," Robi hissed. Their voices, coming out of the blackness of the hall, sent chills up her spine.

Why was she following them? She had guessed from what Robi had said that they were going to play with Chrom. She didn't want to see that. But not knowing what was going to happen was worse. What was this horrible surprise?

They were in the male quarters now. She advanced even more cautiously. Girls weren't allowed in the male quarters and vice versa, except by invitation. If she was caught here... She remembered Marth's warning: "Don't ever do anything to get you grounded."

She flattened against a door as the group came to a stop outside of what she guessed was Robi's room.

Robi turned on a flashlight. "I feel like we're being watched, like someone has followed us."

Lucina felt her heart stop. The worst part was that Robi didn't sound nervous or uncertain. He sounded amused.

Suddenly the light shone directly in her eyes, and Robi's low, evil chuckle filled the silent hall. "Lucina, Lucina. What were you thinking? Did you seriously imagine that you could get past me?"

Lucina shrunk against the door, but Robi moved closer. "I saw your name on the screen in the bowling alley, I knew that you had been there, playing a round with that snake, Ridley. You rose to the bait, and now you've broken the rules. I'm going to have to report this."

Lucina's head felt thick. When had she last taken a breath?

"When you're grounded, you won't be able to spend time in the stadium." Robi smiled. He was watching her face closely. "And you won't be spending time with Dear Chrom." He laughed quietly at the fright on her face. "Yes. I know there's something special between you two. You shouldn't let Robin see things like that, she can't keep anything from me when faced with my methods."

"The way you treat her..." Lucina left the sentence unfinished. She was seething with rage. She wanted to smash a bowling ball into Robi's head. Better yet, she wanted to use Robi's head as a bowling ball.

"You don't know anything," Robi mocked. "I don't harm her, at least not physically. Maybe I cause emotional harm, but I'm really only hurting myself. She's just a different version of me." In the glow of the flashlight he looked grotesquely pleased with this bit of philosophy. "Anyway, enough talk. I need to report you." He shone the flashlight on the wall, hunting for the alarm button. Lucina watched helplessly.

Just then the door she was leaning against opened, and she fell backwards into a pair of waiting arms. "Lucina." It was the friendly voice of Dip. "I was waiting for you to show up. I thought you'd totally forgotten."

She scrambled to her feet, smiling nervously as she met those reddish-purple eyes. "Yeah. Sorry I'm late."

"Late for what." Robi wasn't about to let her escape.

"Oh." Dip blinked and licked his lips. "Marth and I are going to play a board game to see who gets to take Lucina on a date tomorrow night. She's going to make sure there's no cheating."

"I hardly think-" Robi began, but he was cut off as two more doors in the hall banged opened. Shulk and Pit poked their heads out of their respective doorways.

"You get to take Lucina out?" Shulk exclaimed in his British accent. "You must be really feeling lucky."

"No fair!" Pit complained. "Marth gets everything already, and now my evil twin is trying to supplant me in the relationship department too. I want to play."

"If you want, I can look ahead and see who wins the game," Shulk offered.

"No thanks," Dip replied hurriedly. "This is a private thing."

"Why isn't Marth here?"

Lucina wished Robi would put duct tape on his mouth. Him and his tactical questions.

"He must've forgotten too," Dip shrugged. "I'll call him."

"I wouldn't be surprised if he forgot," Lucina added. "We played hard today at the stadium. Only just got finished an hour ago. I hope he's not asleep already."

Dip was already at his telephone, dialing. "Hello, Marth? What's up? Lucina is already here. You'd better get over here pronto. See you soon." He hung up, having barely given Marth a chance to get a word in edgewise.

Shulk and Pit had gone back into their rooms, but Robi was waiting with his gang, a thin smile on his face. He wasn't giving up yet.

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 **So there you go! I hope it's not too much of a cliff hanger, cuz I don't know when I'll get the next chapter up. I left another clue about Marth's plan. If you think you've got it, please don't give it away in a review. (But you can PM me for verification.)**

 **I apologize for all the OOC Ridley. :)**


	6. Chapter 6

**I got this done way earlier than I expected. I hope y'all like it. I planned to just add it on to the last chapter, but it got too long. Just think of it as part 2 of chapter 5.**

 **Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

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Marth came around the corner in the hall, rubbing sleep from his eyes. He was dressed all in black, and Lucina knew he had come in his pajamas. Now that she thought about it, Dip was also in his pajamas and his bedsheets were all scrunched up. She felt overwhelmingly grateful to these friends.

"What are you here for, Martha?" Robi asked.

Robi had just gone too far with his teasing, Lucina decided. "Marth, don't answer someone who talks to you like that." She stepped aside in the doorway to let Marth in.

Dip looked disgusted. "When are you going to punch his lights out?" he asked.

"I'm not that uncharitable," Marth replied as he entered the room. "Put yourself in his shoes. It must be hard knowing that the only thing that keeps him from being Robin is a haircut." He closed the door and locked it. Then he walked over to the telephone and picked up the pencil beside the notepad. _I punch his lights out=I get grounded. What is going on?_ he wrote.

Dip took the pencil. _L was cornered by R who said he'd report her and get her grounded. I said I invited her cuz u & I were going to play a game to see who'd take L on a date._

Marth read over it quickly, then took the pencil again. _Why'r u here w out an invite?_ He thrust the message at Lucina.

Lucina looked at it. She couldn't betray Robi's secret. She began to compose excuses and the half-truth came to her. _Heard R & co. talk 'bout hurting someone. Wanted 2 see what was up._ She handed the note to Marth. He looked at it and then handed it to Dip.

Dip nodded and gave it back to Marth. He was satisfied. "So would you like to play a game, or just pretend like we did?" he whispered. "We can flip a coin."

"Confusion is a good, quick card game," Marth suggested as Dip headed for the cabinet under his television. But Marth was still looking at the note. Lucina hoped nothing was wrong. "We need to get a watch put on Robi. This sort of thing can't be ignored."

"A secret watch?" That was the last thing Lucina wanted. They'd see Chrom and the stolen smash balls and that would be the end.

"Of course."

"But he said that the hurting someone story was just to lure me here so he could report me." Lucina tried sound natural.

"That was probably just a cover story." Marth met her gaze with his own concerned one. "If someone is in trouble..."

"I'm sure he was telling the truth." Her tone had risen a bit, and she made an effort to lower it again. "Please, Marth, let it go this time." Her midnight blue eyes were filled with sincere pleading. His aquamarine gaze changed from concerned to questioning.

"No one needs to know that it was you who overheard." He took her by the shoulders, "Lucina, I'm here for you. It's going to be okay. No one is going to hurt you. I'll take the blame if it comes to that. I've already got a record." He smiled reassuringly.

"You don't understand," Lucina whispered. "Please, Marth, the best way you can help me right now is to forget about Robi."

She looked down, knowing that he was trying to look her in the eye and see what was behind this strange request. She couldn't meet his gaze.

"If it's so important to you, I'll let it go." He turned to Dip who was waiting with the deck of cards, "What happened tonight, stays in this room, okay?"

Dip nodded and handed the deck to Marth. "I don't know how to play Confusing. You need to teach me."

"Confusion," Marth corrected. "It's easy to learn. We'll do a practice round."

Lucina sat cross-legged beside Marth and Dip on the carpet. Her adrenaline levels were just beginning to go back to normal, but she was wide awake now and her mind was racing over the events of the past fifteen minutes. Pit and Shulk didn't know anything had gone wrong tonight. They weren't going to have a watch put on Robi. Marth and Dip would keep their mouths shut. Everything was safe as far as that went. She relaxed, but only a little. She had told Marth that Robi wasn't hurting anyone tonight, but was that true? He couldn't do it in his room, unless he was sure that his fun was quiet and that Chrom wouldn't or couldn't cry out with pain. Maybe he was somewhere else now, doing unspeakable things. What was that horrible surprise?

In the distance there was a rumble of thunder. Marth paused his explanation and he and Dip looked toward the window. "We've been getting quite a few summer storms lately," Marth noted. Then, as an afterthought as he turned back to the game, "I love storms."

Lucina didn't. Storms meant thunder. Thunder was synonymous with Robi and the power he wielded. She wouldn't be surprised if it was thundering because Robi was at work right now.

Marth won the game. He turned to Lucina, eyebrows raised with anticipation. "Where do you want to go?" There was no option to not go. Robi was sure to ask good questions.

She shrugged, her mind still on the thunder that was crashing outside, "I don't even know what restaurants are around here."

"There's a really nice dinner place that's famous for its fondue. Do you like fondue?"

Her exhaustion had returned in full force now. She pasted on a tired smile, "I don't even know what fondue is."

Marth gave up trying to excite her. "You'll like it. We can take the day off tomorrow and go there in the evening." He got to his feet and reached down to help her up. "Is six o'clock good?"

It was the first time she had touched his hand without a glove in the way. The softness of the initial meeting between fingertips gave way to the firm grasp of the Hero King. It was an electric sensation that pulsed through her as she rose. She suddenly realized that she was actually going to go on a date with Marth, her hero and...her friend.

"It's going to be wonderful." A real smile spread over her face, and he smiled back, clearly delighted by her delight. She turned to Dip, "I can't thank you enough for helping me out tonight. I don't know what I've done to earn two such caring friends. Tears came to her eyes at she looked from one to the other.

Dip looked down at the carpet, fidgeting. "To be honest Lucina, I'm so glad that I got this opportunity to help you out. Not that I wanted you to be in trouble, but still." He met her gaze. "I was ready to quit Smash the other day, I was feeling so down. You've been my first friend here. I can't thank you enough for that."

"Oh, Dip." She quickly reached out and gave him a hug.

"Me too," Marth agreed. "Well not that I planned to quit Smash or didn't have any friends," he laughed a little, flushing as they looked at him. "I'm just so grateful to you for how you've helped me these past weeks. I didn't realize how important working with others is until you came on the scene. I can't imagine how I did it alone before." He grinned, "I really admire how you are always thinking about how you can help people, cheer them up and stuff. I know that it can be a tough balancing act sometimes, trying to keep everyone happy, but it's a wonderful thing you do. I'm meeting up with Ike and Link Wednesday evening. You've shown me that it's been too long since I last spent good time with them."

"Marth, you're fabulous!" Lucina's smile stretched ear to ear now.

He raised an eyebrow, "Thank you, Miss Obvious. No hug?"

She narrowed her eyes, pretending to consider his request, her smile getting more mischievous. "If you're nice to me on our date, I'll think about it."

He laughed. "I'm fabulously nice."

"You gonna get yourself a Mrs. Fabulous soon?" Dip pretended innocence.

"It's in the plan," Marth grinned. "Thanks for everything tonight. We'll get together soon, okay?"

"Sure, man. Come over anytime. Goodnight."

"Goodnight," the other two replied.

Marth headed for the door and Lucina followed.

Out in the hall, Lucina was again painfully aware of the ominous thunder and of the tiredness that dragged on her. Marth noticed her slumped demeanor and the furtive glances she cast at the doors they passed. "Still shook up about Robi?" he asked gently.

"I guess," she replied listlessly.

They were quiet for a bit. Then Marth began again, "I'm a perfectionist, if you haven't noticed."

She smiled.

"Anyways," he continued, "We're going to finish ahead of schedule, as you know. I want to wait until my birthday to test the plan, because that's scheduled and precise. But do you think it would be better for the others if I tried it early?" He was trying to get her mind off Robi. Nice of him. "You see," he added hurriedly, "If this works, then a certain someone will be able to join us in the Mansion." He paused and Lucina looked over at him, her brow furrowed. Who could he be talking about? "I'll give you a hint - you saw him in the pictures on my wall."

Pictures. Marth's wall. That final smash. Chrom! He was talking about Chrom! He had found a way to bring Chrom to join them in the Mansion.

Lucina's eyes grew wide, "You mean-"

Marth cut her off with a finger to his lips. "Let's not mention any names just yet, okay?" Good point. Robi could overhear. She wasn't going to underestimate him again tonight.

"Oh, Marth. This is...it's..." Her face was glowing and she knew it.

"Do I get a hug now?"

He'd hardly finished before she'd thrown her arms around him. She looked up into his face. "Marth, this is too much."

"Lucina, you look like you might cry." Marth was all bewilderment and pleasure.

"I've been working for this day..." She pulled away from him as thunder rolled again. "But you don't know what's been going on, do you?"

"I don't follow-"

"You have to speak with Robin." She was whispering now, and there was no mistaking the earnestness in her tone and in her face.

"Why?" Marth looked more bewildered than ever, but he had also dropped his voice to a whisper.

"She's been working on this for a while, and she can tell you what obstacles you face."

"Really?" If the situation hadn't been serious, the surprise on his face would have made her laugh. "Well, excellent. We've worked too hard on this to not take every precaution-"

"I'll tell her to talk to you tomorrow afternoon," Lucina interjected.

"Tell her three o'clock."

Lucina nodded and turned to hurry to her room and make the call to Robin and get everything fixed. Marth put his hand on her shoulder to stop her. "Why are we whispering?" he whispered.

"You'll see why when you talk to Robin."

 **000**

Three o'clock. Lucina paced the hall outside the dining hall in a fever of excitement. Right now plans were being laid to help Chrom. Robi's schemes would be no match for the united brains of Marth and Robin. And what to do about the Master Hand? Surely this bringing Chrom to the Mansion would be considered out of the ordinary. She'd have to ask them what their plan was for working around that. Would Chrom be grounded indefinitely? That would be terrible. Maybe they could carry out the plan first and ask permission afterwards.

"Lucina."

She turned, a little frustrated at this interruption to her very important thoughts, and came face to face with Link. His smile lit up his face and disappeared a moment later. He swallowed. "Uh, I'm going to ask Zelda out in a few minutes. I...I was wondering if you could help me practice."

"Sure thing, Link," Lucina tried to sound warm and encouraging, but she was thinking that Link was getting too worked up over this. What could possibly go wrong?

He pulled out his deck of cards with trembling hands. "I'm going to shuffle. Tell me when to stop."

Lucina mentally face-palmed. Not another card trick. The entire Mansion was sick of Link's card tricks. Not that they weren't tricky, but he was constantly trying to find someone who would watch the latest product of his magical abilities. You just got tired of being amazed.

"Stop there."

Link stopped shuffling and cut the deck, holding the bottom of the top pile toward Lucina and carefully away from himself. "This is your card. Do you have it memorized?"

Six of hearts. Lucina nodded.

Link handed her the deck. "Now shuffle and then give it back to me."

Lucina obeyed.

With a flourish, Link pulled a card out of the deck with a triumphant smile. "Is this your card?"

Lucina did a double take and then leaned in to get a better look at the card Link was holding. She grinned. Then she laughed. "Link, that is the greatest idea ever. She going to absolutely love it!"

"You think?" He was grinning ear to ear. "I put a lot of thought into it. Lucky they sold this deck with a couple of those blank cards. They're perfect for writing messages on, no?"

"Totally perfect. And did I mention that I like your handwriting?"

"Really?" He looked at the note on the blank card. "I did write as neatly as I could. I don't want her reading this request wrong." The nervousness from before returned.

"It'll go great," she encouraged.

"Then I guess I'd better pick out something nice to wear. Wish me the luck of a thousand Links."

"Oh my goodness! I've got a date with Marth tonight, and nothing nice to wear! Wish me the luck of ten thousand Lucinas."

 **000**

"Peeeach!" She pounded on the princess's door. "Peach! Let me in!"

"Coming!" came a voice from inside. "Just hold your horses." The door opened. "What's up, Lucina? Stadium broke down?"

Lucina rolled her eyes. "More serious than that. I've got a date with Marth in less than three hours, and I don't have a thing to wear."

Peach's eyes widened. The next moment she had dragged Lucina through the door. "Ooo! I just knew you and Marth had something going on! Go stand in front of that mirror over there. That's the one. Lemme see what I have."

Through the mirror, Lucina watched Peach take every article of clothing out of every piece of furniture in the room. Tops, bottoms, dresses, scarves, and a million other things were strewn on the bed, over the chairs, and hung on the doorknobs. Lucina felt a little dizzy.

Peach was shaking her head as she put together different outfits. "I'm not your color, Lucina. Any of this would look hideous on you. Hold on, I'll call Zelda."

"She might be busy right now," Lucina noted feebly, wondering what Link and his princess were doing now. He'd certainly asked her by this time.

"She doesn't have anything going on tonight," Peach replied, activating the speed dial on her iPhone. She put it on speaker and tapped her foot while she waited for Zelda to pick up.

"Peach?"

Lucina and Peach both knitted their brows in consternation. Zelda was crying.

"Zel? Are you okay?" Peach's voice was laced with concern, but underneath it Lucina detected a fierceness that promised that whatever had hurt her friend was going to get hurt.

"N-no," Zelda sobbed. "I'm not okay, and I don't know if I'll ever be okay again."

"Do you want to come here, or do you want us to come to you?"

"Us?"

"Lucina is here with me."

"Okay," Zelda sniffed. "I'll come over."

"See you in a minute then."

"Okay." Zelda hung up.

Peach's mouth was a tight line as she looked at Lucina. Lucina was desperate to know what had happened with Link. Had he missed Zelda? Or worse, had she misjudged Zelda's following gaze and gentle blushes whenever the Hero of Time walked into a room, smiling like he owned the world? Had she sent Link to the wrong girl?

A light tapping sounded on the door, and the next second, Peach had Zelda sitting on one of clothing covered chairs with a box of tissues. "Zel, who did it?"

Zelda started crying all over again. "L-Link," she sobbed. Lucina felt like someone had dropped a rock into her stomach.

"What did he do?" Peach's wrath was a thinly veiled thing.

"He," she couldn't go on.

Peach handed her a tissue and put an arm around her. "Breathe, Zel. Don't let him win."

"He asked if he could show me a card trick."

Peach gave an exasperated sigh. "He needs to get out of everyone's faces."

"And I said 'yes', because I thought I liked him. And he did the card trick, and when he held up the card that was supposed to be my card, I saw that it was actually a note." She burst into tears again. This time it was Lucina who handed her a tissue with a leaden hand. "And it said, 'Zelda, I'd love to take you out...with the trash.'" A torrent of sobs followed this, but Lucina barely heard either these or Peach's condolences and threats.

The first part of the note was right, but the last part had been changed, and she was sure that it wasn't Link's doing. "What happened next?" she heard herself asking.

Zelda looked up at her through her tears. "He was smiling like it was a huge joke. I stood up and said, 'I never want to see your ugly face again.' Then I left. It was right in the lounge too, so a bunch of people saw it. It was awful." And she was crying again.

"I'm going to call him," Lucina said.

"I'm going to kill him," was Peach's comment. "I'm going to smash his face so far in, that people will mistake his teeth for his hair. I'm going to scratch his eyes out. I'm going to tear him limb from limb."

Zelda's sobs interrupted this tirade, which Lucina was grateful for, because Peach was not placing a nice image in her head. "I thought I liked him. I thought he was n-nice. And then this."

"Man is a terrible creature of lies and deceit," Peach snapped. "You know my story. I thought I had a guy who would stick, but he left Smash. I thought I had something going with Mario, but he dumped me for Rosalina. You can't trust them. You've got to stay a step ahead-ditch them before they ditch you."

"But it's too late," Zelda moaned. "He got me first."

"Then we make an example of him." Peach was starting to scare Lucina. "What's he afraid of? What will make him miserable?"

"Peach," Lucina tapped her shoulder. "I'm going to go try to get to the bottom of this-see what Link's motive was."

"Okay." Peach looked at her, and Lucina was arrested by the deep sadness in those sky-blue eyes. Peach really, really cared. "We'll have an outfit for you before six."

"Thanks. But don't worry about it. _This_ is a real problem." She gestured at Zelda's slumped form.

"Yeah." Peach was quiet as she looked at her crushed friend. She turned back to Lucina. "I'll call you if we get something together. And don't be afraid of me. I'm not actually going to kill Link, I'm just going to make him wish he was dead." The last bit was said through clenched teeth.

Lucina nodded as she stepped out the door. _I've got to call Link right away_ , she thought.

But when she entered her room, the phone by her bed was already ringing. She flung herself onto her coverlet and picked up. "Hello? It's Lucina."

"Lucina."

Her heart skipped a beat, it was Marth. All the plans and questions about Chrom came flooding back into her mind. And the date.

"Yes?"

"We need to talk. Like right now." The jumble of emotions in his voice confused her. He wasn't bossy, he was earnest. Maybe even upset and nervous. She felt a lump rise in her throat at the thought of something else going wrong. "Can you meet me in the lounge right away?"

* * *

 **Bouncing around the site, I find so many really good fics. Besides making me feel like I'm cluttering up the site with my stuff, they also give a new appreciation for all of you who have taken the time to read and review and follow and all that. I really don't deserve it. Thank you.**

 **And I also really appreciate constructive criticism as I'm trying to write stories worthy of you readers. It's not a flame. It's not rude. I love it, and I love all of you. :)**

 **And if any of you were wondering what's with Link and the card tricks, I know a guy whose personality is a LOT like how I imagine Link's. He does too many card tricks, so I decided to incorporate it into the story.**


	7. Chapter 7

**Important author's note: I changed the Chrom and Lucina interaction from chapter 5. Robin doesn't catch them in a cozy moment, she just sees that they have moved close to each other while she was gone in the kitchen. If you want to reread the scene, feel free, but otherwise just know that I've changed what happened there so it wouldn't so clearly exemplify weak storytelling. I apologize for confusion. Learn from me, fellow authors, and don't post things that don't feel right, or you may have to change them later.**

 **Also, this chapter is a tad violent. I reveal Robi's method of extracting information from Robin (she is not harmed), and there is a scene with Chrom after last night with Robi's gang. You have been warned. I don't think that any of that should move this rating to M, but if you disagree, please let me know in a review or PM.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters in this story.**

* * *

Lucina saw Marth come to the door of the lounge to look for her. He caught sight of her and smiled. Her heart sank. The smile was hesitant, nervous, a smile that didn't reach his eyes.

She entered the lounge and he led her to a table with a cup of Starbucks coffee on it. She sat in the chair he pulled out for her, staring at the coffee. He hated coffee. He only drank coffee if he desperately needed energy. She watched his hand close around the cup and reluctantly lifted her gaze to his face across the table from her.

"What's wrong?" She felt her heart sink lower as she asked this. Marth was always the one to initiate things, but she had started this conversation.

He blinked. "We've had a misunderstanding. And considering the seriousness of what's been going on here, that's serious."

She felt sick and signaled to him to continue with the muteness of her gaze.

"I...I. Um, you were right when you said that I didn't know what had been going on. You were more right than you know." He paused and lifted the coffee to his lips. His hand was trembling a little. He put the cup back down and met her gaze again with the troubled sea that was his eyes. "What I heard from Robin was really shocking. I knew- everyone knows that Robi's got serious issues, but I never expected anything like that. And, well, I wasn't planning to help Chrom, because I thought he was an avatar." He stopped speaking, and watched her face for a reaction to these words. She didn't give him any, merely indicated with a tight nod that he should continue.

"Robin told me everything. She said even you didn't know all that was going on." He stopped again, shaking his head slowly as he stared at the shiny, dark wood of the table. "Do you know that Robi tears apart little animals to get Robin to tell him anything he wants to know? She's got a lot of trauma from that, but she can't seek psychiatric treatment or everything will come out. Chrom's been her psychiatrist of sorts, and according to her, he's helped a lot..." Marth trailed off. "Of course that doesn't quite cut it. And it's also been a severe trial to have him be tortured by Robi and his gang. I can't imagine what it must be like to live with that hanging over your head. Your loved one is getting the spirit squeezed out of him, and you're doomed if you stop it and doomed if you don't. Of course then there's the additional pain of your loved one not returning your feelings after all you've been through for them." There was a sharp bitterness in his tone as he said those words that made Lucina look more closely into his face. "Call me selfish, and you're probably right, but the thing that hurt the most was that you've let me pursue you all these weeks, and never let on that you had someone else that you preferred. If I wasn't clear enough during our talks in the stadium, at least you should have gotten the hint last night. I care about you, Lucina, and you never told me, or even slightly indicated, that you didn't return my feelings."

Lucina's eyes widened, "Okay, Marth, that's rather judgmental of you-"

"How is telling you how I feel 'judgmental'?" His voice had risen a notch. "And the way Chrom behaved wasn't very considerate either. I'll give him that Robin said he hadn't really given her anything to go on besides plain niceness, but he could have left romancing with you for a better time and place."

Lucina had half risen from her seat. "First of all, there really isn't 'a better time and place,' Marth," she hissed. "You're not in Chrom's position at all, so saying that he needs to behave in a certain way is just unfair. And second of all, a hug is not romancing-"

"That's what I thought," he shot back, "but Robin said that he's never touched her in any sort of affectionate manner, not even non-romantically. Given the situation, that makes sense, and I would commend him for it, but then the first night you show up..." His eyes were blazing at her now.

"I don't want to have this conversation anymore," Lucina snapped. "I was wrong about your plan. Back to square one." She turned away, almost knocking over the chair, and walked quickly toward the door.

"Lucina," she heard him call after her, weakly. She walked faster, drowning out the sound of his voice with the roaring of her disappointment and anger.

Safe in her room again, she lay down on her bed and cried until she finally found escape in sleep.

She was awakened by the telephone ringing. "Hello?"

"Hey, it's Peach! We found a couple cute outfits-"

"Marth and I are done, Peach."

"What did he do?"

"I...don't really want to talk about it."

"Okay." Peach was sympathetic. "Let me know if you need anything."

She decided to make her own breakfast that Monday. Except that she didn't feel like making anything, anymore than she felt like going down to dining hall and eating with a ruined Link, an angry Marth, a crushed Zelda, a disappointed Robin, and a cruel Robi, reveling in all their misery.

She had Grape Nuts, the most drab cereal she could think of, and burnt toast with nothing on top. While she ate, she watched the matchup channel to see what her schedule was to be for that day. _This is peaceful_ , she thought. _I should do this more often. Shoot. I have a brawl against Marth and Link. And I'm teamed with Robi._

"How is this even happening?" she asked the silence. "Did Master Hand do this on purpose? Does he think this is funny? Well I'm not laughing." She shoved a spoonful of Grape Nuts into her mouth. What almost did make her laugh was that Peach and Link were on the same team in one of the set brawls. _I need to call Link_ , she reminded herself. She didn't want to call Link. She wanted to avoid Link. She wanted to avoid everyone.

The brawl against Marth and Link ended with her and Robi clapping. They were clapping because Marth and Link had been vicious, Marth never giving a moment's respite to Robi, and Link shooting and slashing at Lucina in furious desperation, since Marth wouldn't come near her. The fact that her first two friends were now her bitter enemies was a pill that she could only swallow because Robi was steaming next to her. Marth had humiliated him.

Lucina smiled bitterly, and returned to her white closet. She had a half hour before her next brawl with Donkey Kong.

Her phone was ringing. She let it ring. The caller tried again, and Lucina picked up with a sigh.

"It's Lucina."

"Lucina, it's Robin. I just want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for getting Marth to help Chrom."

"What?"

"What do you mean, 'what'?"

"I didn't know..." Lucina felt a little dizzy.

"But he went to talk with you right after he met with me. I assumed he told you. He couldn't have meant it to be a surprise."

"I don't think that I gave him a chance to tell me," Lucina whispered.

There was silence from the other end. Robin wasn't one to pry. "Well," she said finally, "Marth has a really good plan, and I was going to tell Chrom about it tonight. Do you want to come?"

"Sure," Lucina replied absentmindedly. Her thoughts were all on Marth. He had called her name as she left, and she had ignored him. She heard Robin hang up, but she still held the phone. She had to apologize, thank him, explain everything. She dialed Marth's number.

No answer.

 _He's probably got another brawl going_ , she reminded herself. _I'll see him tonight_.

She entered the dining hall that evening to look for Robin. She instantly noticed that Marth wasn't there. Looking around, she saw with a pang that Link, Peach, Zelda, and Samus were also missing. _Take one problem at a time, Lucina_. Once she straightened things out with Marth, she could face Link. Once she had Marth by her side again...

She couldn't believe she'd gone almost a full day without seeing Marth at all. Without exchanging a single sentence. An ache akin to homesickness filled her.

Robin saw her and motioned with her head towards Robi, who was listening eagerly to Captain Falcon. Lucina got the message and ducked out of the hall before the tactician could catch sight of her. Robin joined her a minute later.

"Let's go now. I overheard Robi chatting with Wario. He said since they..." Robin paused on an unpleasant word and Lucina could see her looking for a replacement, "had Chrom last night, they won't summon him tonight. Conserve smash balls, you know?"

"Is Marth coming?"

"He said he would, but he wants to start on his plan already. He'll explain it when he comes. I imagine he'll be late."

"Okay." Lucina was planning her apologies and explanations as she followed Robin down the hall.

In Robin's room, Lucina took a seat at the table while Robin took a smash ball from the carton, leaving one remaining.

"Chrom."

"On my mark!" The light came shooting through the room. Chrom flew through Robin, came to stop with his back to her as usual, and collapsed on the carpet.

Lucina sprang from her chair and ran towards the crumpled form. Robin was already on her knees beside the warrior, tugging at him, turning him over onto his back.

"Chrom, Chrom," she begged. "Speak to me. Say something."

"I'm okay, Robin." His voice cracked.

That was a lie. His face and bare right arm were bruised. There was a cut healing on his forehead, and one on his lower lip.

"Lucina, I have medical supplies in the cabinet under the bathroom sink." Robin's anxious tone was not needed to spur Lucina along. She was back with the first aid kit as Robin was undoing Chrom's cape. The tactician handed her Chrom's sword and Lucina put it on the bed, taking a pillow and giving it to Robin to be put under Chrom's head.

"Robin," he groaned. "I'm fine."

"Chrom." Robin's voice broke and she avoided his gaze as she deftly undid the numerous buttons of his shirt. "I'm so sorry. It's my fault." She was crying.

"It's not your fault," he contradicted gently. "No one would expect you to hold out under that kind of mental..."

"Mental torture. Just say it," she swiped at her tears with the back of her hand. "But you don't understand, I could've held out longer, maybe until help came. But I..." She sobbed harder and pulled open his shirt in a place where the normally white trimming had been stained brown. There was a gash on his ribcage, and numerous purple bruises were discoloring his muscular chest and stomach. "Chrom, forgive me," Robin gasped. "I did this to you."

"Robin," he snapped in weak anger, "stop it. It's not your fault. I don't want you to try to 'hold out' against Robi. I'll take his brutality rather than have you experience it."

"But I wanted to tell him," Robin moaned through her tears. "That's what's so awful. I was mad at you, and...and..." She gave in to her sobs, let them shake her as she prepared a pad of alcohol.

"Mad because of Lucina?" the swordsman asked tentatively, struggling to sit up and inch away from the alcohol.

Robin nodded wordlessly, halting the hand with the alcohol pad. "Chrom, I know it stings, but you have to let me," she pleaded.

"Deal with my left ankle first," he begged. "I don't know what they did to it, but I can't walk on it, and landing when I'm summoned is agony."

Lucina took a roll of bandages and started to undo it while Robin let flow a fresh flood of tears.

"I'm so sorry. I've been so selfish. I wanted you for myself, and I didn't want to let you choose who you love. I'll never let it happen again." She turned her tear-streaked face to Lucina, "Lucina, I'm-"

"Robin." Chrom interrupted, reaching out and gently turning her face towards him before letting his hand drop back to his side. "Please listen to me. In the other world, Lucina is my daughter." He paused as Robin's eyes widened. "I didn't want to tell you because I knew that Robi would get it out of you, but I don't think it can get much worse than this."

"I was mad at you, and it wasn't even true?" Robin broke down again, covering her face with her hands.

With an effort, Chrom moved himself closer to the sobbing woman. He managed to get on his knees beside her and put a hand on her shoulder. "Robin, please don't cry. It hurts me to see you cry."

She cried harder.

"Robin, Robin, please." He put an arm around her. "Robin," he repeated helplessly.

She trembled with the force of her emotion, and he put his other arm around her, encircling her shoulders. They stayed like that for a moment, he holding her while she cried, then he leaned forward and spoke quietly, pleadingly, "Robin, please listen, I love you. Know this, I don't want you to be hurt. I don't want you to cry. I love you." He had pulled her close to him, and her sobs slowly subsided as she rested in his arms, her head on his shoulder.

Chrom looked over the top of Robin's pale hair at Lucina and smiled a little, seeming stunned that in a moment of desperate love he ripped through all his barriers to comfort the woman in his arms. Lucina smiled back. Nothing had gone according to plan, but she knew that none of them cared right then.

A knock on the door tore them from the moment. Chrom let go of Robin and she got to her feet, pushing her hair back and fanning her face. "I'm a mess," she laughed weakly. "Lucina?"

Lucina nodded and went to the door. Her heart rate had quickened a little at the thought that her confrontation with Marth was just around the corner. She tried to rehearse what she wanted to say in the seconds before she turned the knob, but her mind was in a muddle from the scene she had just witnessed.

She opened the door and was ever after sure that the same automatic reflex that would cause her to pull away from a hot stove before knowing that she was burned, caused her to slam the door again before she fully realized that Robi was standing out there holding a smash ball.

* * *

 **Shortish and late. But it felt like a good place to stop. Please review! And if you're confused about Robin's guilt, it will be fully explained in the next chapter. If you can't wait, you should be able to pick up clues from Robi's past confrontation of Lucina.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Hi! Did I seriously update this a _month_ ago?! I'm so sorry! Life's a bit of a steamroller. ****I think this is the longest chapter I've posted for this story, though, so I hope you enjoy.**

 **Update I clarified a portion of Marth's plan- he needs Smash balls to carry it out. Full explanation is in the place where Lucina is crying in her bed.**

* * *

"It's Robi," Lucina mouthed to Robin and Chrom. Chrom closed his eyes and Robin took a deep breath.

From the other side of the door, Robi began speaking, "Let me start by telling you why you don't want to report me."

Lucina drew her mouth into a thin line as Robin's hand hesitated over the telephone.

"The reason is that I'm here because I saw a strange man enter your room."

Threatening to betray Chrom. Lucina had run that thought through her head so many times that she knew where it ended up with no extra mental effort - with Chrom being separated from them forever. So he was willing to give up his power over Chrom... What did he want?

"I want to talk; let me in."

Lucina looked at Robin for instructions, but it was Chrom who took charge. He shook his head, "We know you better than that, Robi."

The tactician laughed, "Where's Robin. She's much more reasonable."

"The only person you're reasoning with here is me," was Chrom's stiff response. The warrior grasped Robin's nightstand and pulled himself to his feet, leaning heavily on the wall for support. Lucina and Robin both moved towards him to help, but he waved them away.

"You're not strong enough to walk, Chrom," Robi challenged.

Chrom took his sword and, using it as a cane to keep his weight off his ankle, hobbled towards the door. Lucina watched Robin wince as her love's sword punctured the carpet with every step. "I'm walking towards the door," he announced. "I'm now at the door."

"Fine. But we have to hurry."

"Got that. Is this another plan like your rigging of Link's proposal?"

Lucina wasn't surprised at this information.

"I actually have a plan to fix that if you'd just- Come on and let me in," the tactician whined.

Robin whispered to Lucina, "I know how that feels, not being able to see your adversary. Chrom is really teasing him."

A thin smile pulled at the corners of Lucina's mouth.

"If you won't let me talk to Robin, then let me talk to Lucina. I'll talk with her in the game room where there are surveillance cameras. I have something to show her that she really needs to see." There was a note of triumph in his voice as he finished.

 _He thinks I'm as good as in the game room already_ , Lucina thought angrily. _Well Chrom's not the only one who can stand up to him_.

Chrom turned to Lucina with helpless look. Confused, she turned to Robin and was surprised to see her shaking her head in defeat.

"What's wrong?" she whispered.

"You have to confront Robi," Robin replied as though it was obvious.

"Why?"

"You have see what he's going to show you."

"Why?"

Robin raised her eyebrows in surprise, "Do you really want to risk not seeing it. If it wasn't something important, he wouldn't be trading it for the chance to talk with you."

From Chrom's expression, she could tell that this wasn't just Robin's opinion. Robi was no joke. No one messed with him.

Lucina shrugged in defeat and went to the door. Chrom turned the bolt back and opened it a crack. Lucina slipped out, the door was shut and locked behind her, and she was in the hall facing Robi.

He motioned to her to follow him and headed down the hall.

After ten minutes of walking, Lucina tapped Robi on the shoulder. "This is not the way to the game room."

"It's the way to what I want to show you. We will talk about it afterwards in the game room."

They descended several flights of stairs, and Lucina knew they were below ground. Strange mechanical noises rumbled from behind locked, metal doors. Finally Robi came to a stop outside of another locked door with a tiny window beside it on an otherwise blank wall.

"That's a one-way glass window," Robi told her. "You can see into the detention room, but no one can see out. Look through it."

With a sinking heart, Lucina bent over and pressed her nose to the cold glass. She saw a small room with bare walls. The only piece of furniture was a narrow cot. There was someone lying on the cot, and there was no mistaking that ridiculous green hat. Link was the one locked in that room.

He was looking up at the ceiling, and for a moment Lucina was terrified that he would look over and see her, because for some inexplicable reason, she was sure that it was her fault that he was in there. A lump rose in her throat as she watched him lay there, perfectly still, staring at the ceiling. Where was the man full of life and energy and smiles? He had been withered by Robi's touch.

She turned from that picture of despair to the tactician, who was watching her closely.

"We'll talk about it in the game room," he said in a low voice. "I have a plan that you will want to hear."

And so she found herself sitting beside her worst enemy on a brown, leather love seat in the room where Robi had destroyed her game of Monopoly. She kept her eyes on her boots as the tactician spoke, rubbing the striped pattern of the brown carpet back and forth with her toes.

"During lunch break today, Link decided to try to talk things over with Zelda. He went to the female quarters and Peach reported him. The most crushing part for him was that Zelda agreed with Peach that he should be locked up. I imagine that she was a little overwhelmed by both her own emotions and Peach's strong will.

"And so he's been locked up down there until the Hands get around to finding all the rules he broke and the corresponding punishments. At this point, it won't matter if Zelda doesn't want to press charges, because once something gets to the Hands, the rules will be followed to the letter. Extenuating circumstances don't matter. Link is going to be grounded, no matter what. I'm not proposing a way to get him out of that, especially since it's his own fault. What I am offering is reconciliation between him and Zelda, which is what he really wants."

Lucina didn't raise her eyes from the carpet where she was now tracing circles with the heel of her boot. "Let me guess, you're not offering this for free."

"Good girl. I currently have a grudge against Marth, and I want you to give him the cold shoulder if he tries to fix your relationship. Another thing I'm offering is enough time for Chrom to recover. I'll leave him alone for...two months. Let his ankle and stuff heal."

Lucina's gaze flew to his face. "Are you serious?!"

He laughed, playing with the smash ball under his coat where the cameras wouldn't spot it, "I'm always serious. Do we have a deal?"

But she was already regretting the eagerness in her previous exclamation. Was she really so ready to step on Marth in order to reach her goal?

But it was only until Marth found a way to free Chrom. Robi would reconcile Link and Zelda, and then the only hold he would have on her would be his ability to torment Chrom. Once Marth took that power from him, the deal would be off. Besides, Marth was also sacrificing his friendships in the short term for a benefit that he said would bring happiness to everyone. He would understand when she explained, and at the least, he wouldn't be able to blame her. Or she could let him know what her deal was with Robi, and he could play the game with her.

"We have a deal," she responded.

"Good. And if you double cross me, I'll kill Chrom. I haven't got a problem working with a corpse or an avatar replacement."

Lucina nodded, the blood running cold in her veins as she stared at the carpet again. There went the plan of telling Marth. She was on her own, unless she wanted to risk Chrom's life. "Why all this trouble to hurt Marth?" she asked. "Even going so far as to..."

"Make Link and Zelda happy? Yeah, it's a bit of a price to pay. I've wanted to wipe that perpetual smile off Link's face for a while now. I guess I'm satisfied, though. They'll get together eventually, no matter what. Give anything enough time, and it will happen. And about Marth? Let's just say that no one calls me 'Robin with a haircut' and gets away with it."

"You are so sick," Lucina laughed with disbelief.

"What I find so ironic about that, is that I'm the one going around with a smile, and you guys are all miserable."

Lucina had no reply.

Robi got to his feet, and Lucina stood as well, knowing that their interview was at an end. He put the smash ball carefully in an inside pocket of his coat, and Lucina knew that the threat, for the present, had been dropped.

"I guess I'll go back now," she remarked.

"Sure." Robi was cheerful now that he was getting his way. "And tell Chrom not to mess with Robin's heart anymore. I take it as a personal offense, seeing as she is myself, and he'd best remember that what I did to him last night was punishment for what I got her to tell me about him making out with you."

"Chrom is my father, you nincompoop!" Lucina shot at him, before turning and fleeing the room.

Out in the hall again, she wiped away tears. _I have to pretend that I'm mad enough and offended enough at Marth that I'm not going to forgive him. Once Link and Zelda are back together and once Chrom is free, I'm done with Robi's deal. Marth has a plan. I've just got to hold out until he's successful._

One nagging fear pulled at her: would Marth lose his desire to help her if she shrugged him off? She thrust the doubt away. Marth was not someone who needed to be paid to do what was right; unlike Robi.

Back at Robin's room, she knocked tentatively on the door.

 **000**

She cried herself to sleep, alone in her bed that night.

Marth had a wonderful plan, foolproof if it was successful. It would take some time, but Chrom was as good as free if he could survive until Marth was done.

Marth explained his visit to Hands and how he had filed a petition for Chrom to join the crew in Smash Five, after the Hands informed him that that was the only way to amend the programming of the game at that point. He then proceeded to lay out a perfect plan that only he could have thought of and executed.

Robin was practically glowing as Marth walked them through the plan and Chrom looked hopeful for once. Every question the two asked was skillfully answered and the smiles on both their faces grew and grew. Chrom held Robin's hand as they tripped over each other trying to thank Marth. He blushed and tried to escape their compliments and Lucina was never so much in love with him as then.

She'd loved him for a long time now, she realized. They'd fought together and talked together and planned together, and she couldn't imagine doing anything without him now. She watched him closely, enjoying the fire in his eyes as he outlined Robi's defeat. She knew that fire from all the times he had spoken with her about their daily stadium strategy. He'd laughed about it, "Am I too driven? My friends say I'm too driven." And she'd reminded him that a cause that he believed in was worth his drive. "If nothing drives you, you might as well stay in bed," she'd laughed. He'd laughed too, before becoming serious again. "Do you believe in this cause, Lucina?" he asked, looking at her with troubled eyes. She'd hesitated. "I don't know what we're fighting for, Marth, but I believe in you."

She believed in him now too, but she couldn't tell him so. She watched him and hoped that Chrom and Robin's enthusiasm would make up for her own silence and weak smiles. It clearly didn't make up for it in Marth's estimation. He tried to catch her eye so he could engage her in the conversation she knew they both wanted, the one that would repair the relationship that accusations and misunderstandings had broken, but she avoided him. Occasionally she would become excited over an aspect of the plan and Marth would turn to her hopefully, only to see her lapse back into her forced melancholy as his gaze rested on her. She saw him bite his lip and turn away several times that night. He was hurt and confused and she had to keep him that way so that Chrom could survive long enough for the plan to work. Chrom and Robin were too caught up in the plan and in each other to notice Lucina's quiet, but she could see that already Marth's quick eye was going to make her part of deal very painful for him and her.

Marth was giving everything to this project, and she couldn't give him the reward he wanted most. The worst part was when she heard how much it would cost. Chrom and Robin sucked in their breaths when Marth named the figure.

"It's not a big deal," he assured them. "I already have the funds."

Lucina knew better. That was a third of the sum he needed for his own plan, the plan they'd been working towards for weeks. He was giving up his birthday present for them. He was giving it up for her. "Thank you, Marth," she said quietly.

His face lit up when she said his name, but she soon saw him struggle to keep up the cheerful front as he realized that she still wasn't making eye contact and wasn't smiling.

"It really is okay," he smiled uncertainly. "I can always get more, you know. It's not like the stadium is closing."

Lucina nodded and forced herself to look at him. "I'll help you."

"Sure." His smile was gone now too.

Now, sniffing into her pillow, she knew that this was just the beginning of their misery.

One aspect of Marth's plan had sealed her fate as Robi's vassal until Chrom was freed - Marth had no way to obtain Smash balls except through Robin who in turn received them from her male counterpart. Robin, Chrom, and Marth took this for granted, but Lucina knew that this meant that she could not betray him and their deal to the authorities who could seal off the Smash balls and Robi's power over Chrom. If she did, Marth would not have access to the Smash balls that were vital to the success of his plan.

 **000**

The next day seemed to promise to be perfectly awful because she came across Link on her way to the dining hall. He was mopping the floor.

She didn't want him to see her, but she slowed down anyway. "Hey."

His gaze flicked up at her. "You'll get in trouble if you talk to me," he mumbled.

"Like I care, Link," she groaned. "This is worse than any trouble the Hands could give me. It's my fault for telling you to go after Zelda."

"No," he responded listlessly. "I know that Robi messed everything up. I just don't know how he did it right under my nose, so I have no excuse." He returned to his mopping. "You'd better go now."

"Can I bring you anything to eat?"

He smiled briefly. "That's sweet of you, Lucina. There's already a system in place for this sort of thing, though. Ever since Marth got grounded. Poor guy was practically starving himself, 'cuz he couldn't stomach what they were giving him."

Lucina went straight for Robi when she entered the dining hall. "When are you going to fix Link and Zelda?"

"Cool it, Lucy," he protested, shoving his last bite of pancakes into his mouth. "I was waiting for you. Don't you want to see it happen?"

She relaxed a little. "I guess so." She paused. "I'm sorry." She had to keep him thinking he ruled.

He scooted away from the table, pulling two cards from the pocket of his coat as he did so. "Go sit by Robin and pretend to engage in a conversation with her. I have her posted conveniently near the trio."

His plans were always so smooth. Lucina was only speaking with Robin for thirty seconds before Robi glided past them and over to the two princesses and Samus. They were sitting alone for once, since Peach had snapped at everyone else to leave. She snapped at Robi too, "Get lost, you shark."

"But Peach," he protested, "I have something that I need to confess."

Lucina watched the princess's mouth tighten. Her curiosity was caught. "You have ten seconds."

Robi put one of the cards down on the table and pulling a pen from an inside pocket of his coat he began to write on it, the trio bending over to watch his work. Samus' eyebrows rose and Peach's lips made a perfect 'O'. Zelda put her hands over her face and turned away. Lucina knew that the tactician was revealing his part in the creation of the note that had ruined Link.

"The time that Link spent preparing the trick, I spent learning his handwriting. Right before he performed it for you, I told him that I thought he used a trick deck to do magic tricks. Offended (as I knew he would be), he handed me the deck so I could see for myself. I took the message card as well on 'accident'. He protested that that was a special card and he needed it back. It was only a matter of good slight of hand to give him the card with the message I had written and pocket the original. I kept him from looking at it by asking how Zelda was. He didn't hesitate to launch into his favorite topic."

Robi paused because Zelda was crying softly.

Peach looked up at him with flaming eyes. "Why are you telling us this?"

Robi shrugged. "Lucina made me. She knows how to twist my arm."

 _I wish_ , Lucina thought. _It's so the other way around_.

"Here's the original card." Robi tossed it down in front of Peach and slipped away.

Peach picked it up. "Zelda, I'd love to take you out. Will you please make me happy?" she read.

Zelda leaned her head back against her chair, wiping away her tears. "I've got to fix this, Peach. I've got to make him happy."

"We'll help you, Zel," Peach assured her. "It's my fault that he's grounded now anyway."

"And where's Lucina?" Samus asked.

"That's right," Zelda agreed. "She deserves our deepest thanks."

Lucina and Robin instantly started up their empty conversation again in low tones. Lucina was concentrating very hard on pretending to be occupied when Peach pounced on her. "Lucina! You are beyond wonderful. We can't thank you enough for getting Robi to confess. That jerk is gonna be so sorry."

"Oh." Lucina tried to look surprised. "Of course, Peach. I hate Robi so much; I can't stand to let him win."

Zelda smiled down at her, "If there's ever anything we can do for you, don't hesitate to ask."

"That's sweet of you guys," Lucina blushed. "Really, getting you and Link back together is all the reward I need."

"Then we'd better get on it," Peach declared. "Sit with us at dinner, Lucina. And you too, Robin. You can't like sitting by Robi."

Robin smiled, "I appreciate the offer. Robi's a real pain."

The girls left and Lucina started to get up to find Marth and tell him everything that had just happened. The remembrance of her deal brought her back down in the chair. There were to be no more of those long talks with Marth that she had enjoyed in the stadium.

Robin looked at her with a fierce intensity. "What did you give to Robi to get him to confess?"

Lucina met her gaze steadily, the happiness of her friends having given her new strength, "Part of the deal is that it be kept a secret."

Robin shook her head. "I hope you know what you're doing. I hate having you face him alone."

"I can hold out until Chrom is free."

 **000**

After the brawls that day, she sought out Ness. It was time to try again to fix their friendship. He was sitting alone, reading.

She walked up behind him and tapped his shoulder. He looked up.

"Ness, can we play a game? Monopoly?"

He sort of smiled and shrugged. "I guess so. I'm not mad anymore." He wrinkled his nose, "It's kinda funny how that happens."

"I'm just glad it happened," Lucina laughed with relief.

On their way to the game room, they were accosted by Pit. "Hey, Ness, wanna check out the new Minecraft mod I made?"

"Maybe later. I'm going to play Monopoly with Lucina."

"No one wants to do anything with me!" Pit exclaimed.

Lucina checked in her walk. "I know who'd love to play Minecraft with you!" she exclaimed excitedly.

Pit's eyes widened, "Really?" Then his eyes narrowed, "It'd better not be who I think it is."

But Lucina was already running down the hall. "Set everything up, Ness. I'll be there soon," she called over her shoulder.

 **000**

"But, Lucina, I don't even know what Minecraft is," Dip protested.

"I don't know what it is either. But all you need to know is how to compliment Pit."

"You mean flatter. Listen, Lucina, I appreciate your con-"

She put a hand on his shoulder. "Just try one more time. Please. You don't want to spend the rest of your life wondering what might have happened."

He sighed and she knew she had won.

She dragged him triumphantly to Pit. The white angel narrowed his eyes when he saw them. "I had a feeling it'd be you," he sneered at his dark counterpart.

Dip put up his hands in defense. "Were you expecting me to stay away from a Minecraft champion?"

"Making mods doesn't make me a champion, flatterer."

"Hey, I've never met anyone who makes mods before."

"That's because I'm the only one in the Mansion who does it," Pit hissed.

"Fine. I bet they're not all that great, since you're too embarrassed to show me," Dip shot at him.

"Oh yeah? How's a replica of the Smash grounds for great?"

"I bet it looks like the Smash grounds after a bomb dropped."

"It does not!"

"I'll have to see it to believe it."

Pit gripped Dip's arm like a vice, "Then come with me."

Dip threw a wink over his shoulder at Lucina as he was dragged off yet again, and she realized she'd been holding her breath.

 **000**

She and Ness went to the dining hall together, friends again. The two angels were already there. Dip was looking over Pit's shoulder at the white warrior's iPad and both seemed quite engrossed in what they were watching. Pit would occasionally point something out or answer one of Dip's questions.

Lucina got her dinner and joined Peach, Samus, and Robin at the table. "Where's Zel?" she wanted to know.

"You'll see soon enough," Peach replied with the mysterious lift of an eyebrow.

Just as Lucina was going to ask what Peach meant, the hall was filled with song.

"The halls are alive...with the sound of music," came a powerful male voice. "With a song that hasn't been sung for a thousand years. My heart fills the halls with the sound of music. My heart wants to sing the love song it fee-eels."

Lucina knew the voice - it was Link. "Is he violating grounding protocol?" she whispered worriedly to Peach.

The princess nodded back excitedly, and they both turned with the rest of the Smashers to look towards the door where it was evident that Link would soon enter.

Enter he did, arms flung wide as he belted out the tune, a beaming and blushing Zelda in his wake. "I sing in the halls because my heart is happy. And I know that I sing..." The singing stopped and everyone watched Link expectantly. "I'm all out of rhymes you guys," he began, "but I want to let you know that Zelda and I decided to skip the dating part, cuz we've known each other for so long, and just go ahead and get married in three weeks, when I'm done being grounded. And you're all invited. Our friends, so that they can rejoice with us, and our enemies who tried to keep us apart, so that we can rub it in their faces."

Cheers erupted all around. Lucina, clapping and smiling with the rest, risked a glance at Robi. He was pressing his fingers to his forehead and he looked like he had a bad headache.

"I didn't know Link could sing so well," she commented to no one in particular.

"He's really something else," someone standing behind her agreed. "Always had such talent with music." Marth was at her elbow.

"Mm-hmm." She murmured her agreement in a tone that indicated that she did not want to carry the conversation further.

"Lucina, can I talk with you outside?" he begged.

She turned in her chair to face the table. "No, Marth." Peach was turned pointedly away, engaging Samus and Robin in conversation, but Lucina knew that all three girls were listening intently.

"Fine," he sighed. "Can you at least look at me?"

She turned in her chair again and looked him in the face without directly making eye contact. "Is this going to take long?" Her voice was tight with the strain of keeping up the act and it made her sound impatient.

"I-I just wanted to apologize for the other day. I was quick to judge you because I was jealous. I'm sorry." His eyes were pools of regret, begging her to understand.

"Okay." She nodded at him and turned again to her food. If she looked into his eyes, she'd fall apart. And he'd be the one she would have instinctively turned to for comfort.

"Okay?!" The shock and hurt in his voice was a knife to her heart. "Ness tells me that all this happiness is your handiwork. Am I the one person you can't be nice to?"

Lucina clenched her hands into fists, her nails biting into her palms. She was depending on the physical pain to distract her from her burning, lacerating emotions. "Marth, I appreciate everything you're doing for me- you don't even know how much. But when I said yesterday that I didn't want to have this conversation anymore, I meant it. Keep your distance, please."

She could hear him release his breath behind her. "Okay. I'm sorry," he said quietly. She felt his presence move away, but she stayed tensed up. If she relaxed, she would cry. She didn't dare look at Robi this time.

* * *

 **So I think I finally pinned down what's wrong with this story. It is so plot-driven that there's like zero character development. I'm going to finish it, never fear, but someday I'm going to rewrite it. If there's something you like or don't like, let me know and I will take it into consideration when I do the rewrite.**

 **Don't forget to review! See you in the next chappie! (I totally said 'chappie'.)**


	9. Chapter 9

**Hi! Let's not mention how long I've been gone. Just in case anyone missed the clarification I did in the last chapter, Marth needs Smash Balls (and thus he needs Robi to be getting them) in order to carry out his plan. That means Lucina can't protect Chrom by betraying Robi and cutting off his access to the Smash Balls, because then Marth won't have what he needs to free Chrom. Chrom staying stuck means that Lucina has to play Robi's game.**

 **This is my first reply to a guest review, and it's directed to WholeWheatBeats: First of all, I love your name. I feel healthy and fresh for some reason when I see it. Now for the response - I'm so happy to hear that you are enjoying this story so much! The enjoyment of my readers is what makes this worthwhile. Robi is definitely hyper-evil. I touched a little bit on what drives him in chapter 3 where Chrom mentions that Robi does what he does for the feel of power. That's pretty much how the tactician rolls in this story. He loves to feel like he has power over others and can wreck those who seem to have it all together (like Marth and cheerful Link). I will focus on that more in the rewrite, so thanks for bringing it to my attention. :-) And what did you like about his characterization in chapter 7? He was barely in it at all, lol. As for Zelda and Link's relationship, yeah, you're somewhat right. That whole chapter could be named 'Fixing People's Lives in Four Thousand Words or Less'. Plot convenience. But also, we did see Link try to explain himself and get shut down by Peach. The problem for him and Lucina is that they both have a hunch that Robi was behind the messed up note, but they don't know how he did it. They don't have proof. Link's word doesn't go for much with Peach, as we saw. Lucina might have more luck as far as that goes, but she still doesn't have more than a hunch until Robi confesses, but by then he also has the leverage of Chrom's safety to use against her. I will keep all this in mind for the rewrite, though. I may even do a scene where Lucina tries to reason with Peach, but the mushroom princess is too embarrassed to admit that she could be wrong about Link unless she has proof. Thanks again!**

* * *

"Hand me the wrench please, Lucina," Marth called from under the giant computer he was building. The computer that was the key to the Plan.

Lucina bounced up from her position, sitting cross-legged on the carpet of Marth's room, and grabbed the wrench from the toolbox. Marth had stuck his arm out from where he was working and she placed the tool in his outstretched hand. Her fingertips brushed his briefly, and she let herself enjoy the feel of the space between them being broken for just a moment before returning to her place on the carpet.

It was Friday afternoon. All the Smashers had a half day of brawls on Friday, so Lucina was helping Marth build a smaller version of the stadium computer. Marth himself had petitioned the Hands for a vacation, citing a personal crisis as the reason. After a review of his record, the Hands had granted his request and so he had been working nonstop on the Plan.

Robin had received a few more Smash balls from Robi. Now she was busy in Marth's kitchen making a nice lunch for their trio. It was agreed between all of them that Robin needed to be watched in case Robi tried to extract any new information from her and got wind of the Plan. Lucina couldn't help but feel frustrated with this weakness of Robin's sometimes. She had thought that perhaps she might tell Robin about her deal with Robi and have the female tactician explain all to Marth - Marth was clever enough to play along until Chrom was free. She'd had to rule that out quickly. Robi was skilled at reading his female counterpart and he would guess that Lucina had betrayed him. He might guess no matter whom she told, and when she weighed the temporary breach in her and Marth's relationship against Chrom's life, she quickly decided that it was worth it to keep Robi's deal. Besides, work on the Plan was progressing with wonderful speed. They were set to have their first test on Sunday.

Marth rolled out from under the computer on the dolly. He had dark circles under his eyes, proof of the late nights he'd spent at work, but his smile showed that he was pleased with the progress he was making. He sat up and reached for the handwritten blueprints he had made, a miniature copy of the stadium computer. He stared at the plans, his lips moving soundlessly as he read the notes scrawled on the paper. His brow furrowed.

"What?" Lucina asked, getting up to look over his shoulder.

He laughed, embarrassed. "I can't seem to read what I wrote here," he indicated a particularly messy scrawl on the right side of the page

"You can't read your own handwriting?" Lucina giggled. "You should be a doctor."

He laughed with her. "No one would dare get sick if they had to see me," he joked, looking into her face.

Her smile died. She was accidentally being friendly with Marth again. This joke, the playful punch she'd given him the other day, the times that she had started to relate something interesting she had seen, could all be severely costly to Chrom.

He noticed the change in her demeanor and the light went out of his eyes. He went back to examining the blueprints and she slipped into the kitchen to see if Robin could occupy her.

Robin was waiting for her, mouth tight. "Lucina."

Lucina nodded.

"What's going on between you and Marth?" The tactician kept her voice low so the hero, building in the next room, couldn't overhear.

Lucina saw the suspicion in her friend's brown eyes. Robin knew Robi as well as he knew her, and Lucina was certain that it wouldn't take too long for the whole story of the deal to come tumbling out and send Chrom to his grave. Well, she'd lied to Marth and she could lie to Robin. "Marth basically accused me of leading him on in our relationship while cheating on him. I'm still hurt and upset. Does everyone have to get involved?"

"Lucina, you know that I don't like to meddle, but Marth has admitted that he was wrong and asked for your forgiveness. It's unfair of you to keep treating him like a stranger when he's doing so much."

"I don't think that you can judge how _I_ treat the man who hurt me, especially since he was actually in the wrong." Lucina felt sick as those words left her mouth. Robin's guilt over her betrayal of Chrom to Robi had not quite dissipated, despite her lover's attempts to get her to forgive herself. To bring it up in such a way as to make it seem that Lucina hadn't forgiven the tactician either... That was Robi's level of cruelty. He'd be gloating if he could see this.

Robin dropped her gaze. "I'm sorry," she whispered.

"No, Robin, I'm sorry," Lucina blurted. "I-I don't know where that came from."

"Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks," Robin quoted dully. "You're just being honest, and that's important." Without meeting Lucina's eyes, she turned back to the sushi she was preparing.

"Robin," Lucina groaned. She wanted to say that she hadn't meant it, that it was just a desperate attempt to stave off further inquiry about her treatment of Marth, but she couldn't. Robin would instantly be able to read between the lines and see that there was something dark behind Marth and Lucina's division, if it made the princess turn on her friends so fiercely, trying to avoid a probe into her motives. It was one step from there to connect the special meeting with Robi to this behavior. Lucina kept her mouth shut.

Now she had broken with two of her friends.

The atmosphere was uncomfortable whenever Lucina was in the same room with either Marth or Robin. They worked together in name only, their hearts a million miles away. Their friends sensed the atmosphere as well.

Link and Zelda, now that they were together, wanted all their friends to have the same happiness. Link wasn't allowed to talk to anyone yet, but Lucina was sure that he'd taken Marth aside all the same, because Marth tried smiling at her again. She'd smiled back, less stiffly than before, but Zelda's words had brought Robi's shadow back into focus.

"I mean, it's just not like you, Lucina. You're the one trying to bring everyone back into right relationships, and you won't lift a finger to mend your own."

If it wasn't like her, how long would it take them to realize who it was like?

Ike tried his hand at helping his friends as well. "Hi, Lucina," he began awkwardly.

"Hi."

"How are you doing?"

"I'm fine." _Gotta avert this conversation_ , she thought. "Can I ask you a question?"

"Uh, sure."

"How do you get food to people who are grounded?"

"Oh. Well that's kind of a secret." Ike looked down at her, "Why don't you ask Marth?"

"I-I. Well I-I asked you first," she stuttered.

"Well he came up with the system. He knows how to explain it best. Besides, it would be nice for him to be able to talk to you."

"Why me?" Lucina sighed.

"I - honestly don't know."

"Did he send you?"

"No I didn't." Marth spoke from behind them and they both turned to face him. His face was flushed with embarrassment and he was frowning. "Ike, I'd like to speak with you alone."

Ike rolled his eyes, but followed his smaller sword brother away from Lucina. As she walked off in the opposite direction, she heard Marth's angry but semi-muted voice carry down the hall. "...said she didn't want to have that conversation anymore... I'm respecting it - you should too. ...I can worry about myself, by myself. ...not my bodyguard."

Ike's growls of annoyance and exasperation came less clearly to Lucina's ears, but she heard them all the same and was not surprised when the two best friends ignored each other in the dining hall that evening.

Robi was practically glowing and it made Lucina sick. _Someday I'm gonna make him pay_ , she vowed. She wondered if Peach would be able to help with that like she had dealt with Link.

The trio of Peach, Zelda, and Samus was now a quartet that included Lucina and they were planning Link and Zelda's wedding.

"Forest colors, huh?" Peach remarked, looking up from her list at her friend. "Was that your choice, or was he pushing it on you? Be honest, Zel."

"Well," Zelda blushed, drumming her fingers on the smooth tabletop, "he made it sound so nice. I do look good in brown..."

Lucina laughed. "Seriously Zel? Since when has Link cared about clothes?"

"You are not getting married in brown," Peach snapped.

Zelda laughed. "I'm joking, ladies. He did say that I look good in brown, but I put him in his place; I'm getting married in white."

"But why?" Lucina asked, still giggling.

"Did he say he wanted to wear a green suit?" Samus asked drily from her position lying on her stomach on Peach's bed. Samus had a gift of answering questions with other questions.

Zelda rolled her eyes. "So what if he did? He looks good in green. And I like the idea of having forest colors. I want pale pink roses on every table and I want a bridal bouquet of pink roses. And Link can wear green. Green and pink and white look nice together, and they're kind of forest-y."

"Who will be in the wedding party?" Samus asked, momentarily diverting attention from the sketches of dresses that Zelda had spread out on the table.

"You three will definitely be my bridesmaids," Zelda stated emphatically.

"In what order?" Samus persisted.

"Lucina saved the relationship," Peach noted.

Lucina rolled her eyes. She didn't really feel like a hero, and it made her uncomfortable every time Peach brought it up.

"Keeping in mind that Marth's likely to be Link's best man," Samus added. All three girls were well aware that Lucina was working hard to avoid Marth. "How much of a rift between those boys do you think there is, Zel? If Link doesn't want Marth, Fox is the runner up."

"True," Zelda agreed. "Link told me that he and Marth are a little...out of sorts with each other. Link asked Marth for his thoughts on making our honeymoon romantic and Marth said that he was having plenty of trouble with his own love life and that all his advice was guaranteed to drive me away. Link basically said that if Marth cared about his girl, he should be pursuing her, no matter the cost."

The three listeners sucked in their breaths.

"Yeah," Zelda nodded. "Marth blew his top and asked Link if he wanted to write the insult that he wasn't man enough to pursue his girl on a playing card."

Samus gave a low whistle.

"I guess Link blew his top right back at ol' Marthy," Peach commented.

Zelda nodded. "I don't know that Link would straight up tell Marth to move down a notch in the wedding party, but Marth might suggest it."

Peach looked over at Lucina. "What's going on between you and Marth? Are you done for good, or is it just a misunderstanding and you want him to pay for a bit?"

"Well..." Lucina was not prepared for that question. "I guess I just want us to be friends. He doesn't seem ready to move on yet, though."

"Have you ever known him to give up?" Samus asked no one in particular. She rolled over and sat up suddenly, her back to her friends. "He's trying to keep his heart together. Rejection is tough, you know, Peach."

"I never kept hanging on Mario," Peach snapped. "Lucina, if you want him to back off, it's gonna happen," the mushroom princess promised.

"Thanks," Lucina sighed.

The next day Lucina was surprised to see Samus resting on Marth's arm. The couple was given surreptitious glances from everyone, and Lucina received her share of looks as well. She hadn't realized that everyone had considered her and Marth to be a couple.

She was also made acutely aware of how much _she_ had considered them to be a couple. She had to admit to herself that seeing him with Samus felt wrong. That place beside him was her place. She knew she loved him, but now she was discovering what she wanted that to look like. Her hand in his. Low-voiced conversations with their heads touching. Inside jokes. Making him smile.

He was smiling now. At least it was what everyone would have called smiling, but Lucina knew better. His eyes were restless, his gaze flicking around the room. He was trying to avoid her, she could tell, but his troubled blue eyes kept coming back. She caught his look once and held him for a moment before smiling. He relaxed visibly. He wasn't any happier, but he was no longer tense.

She understood him. He was trying to show her that he was willing to move on and leave her alone, if that was what she wanted.

It wasn't what she wanted.

They ran the second test of the plan on Wednesday. When Chrom came to a stop, they saw that someone had given him a black eye.

"Chrom!" they gasped simultaneously.

"I got Falcon Punched in a couple places," he explained, somewhat apologetically. "I'm sorry. I did my best to keep Robi in a good humor without blowing our cover. He spared my ankle, though, so I'm honestly fine."

"There's something wrong with the world when bearing the marks of several Falcon Punches constitutes 'fine,'" Marth noted dryly.

Chrom laughed, gingerly fingering his face. "Well, but now I've got freedom to look forward to. You know, for some time I've been thinking that Robi's getting tired of me and wouldn't mind finishing me off-"

Robin interrupted him with a gasp of horror and Marth's eyes widened. Lucina felt dread settle like a stone in her stomach. Robi made no idle threats.

"I didn't tell you this to make you worry," Chrom said quickly. "There's a light at the end of this tunnel, and I think that I'm going to make it through. I just wanted to explain why a few bruises is fine."

"When you put it in that light, any amount of pain seems fine," Marth responded.

Lucina nodded. "How soon until launch day?"

Marth ran his hand over the large computer, avoiding her gaze. "We need to run one more test where Robin summons Chrom from the Mansion to help her in a match, so we can make sure that he returns to the Mansion afterwards and not to his...cell. Can you arrange one for tomorrow?"

"I'll get right on it," Lucina replied as cheerfully as she could.

Once outside of Marth's room, she turned her steps towards the game room haunted by Robi and his cronies. She had to get to the bottom of the Falcon Punches to make sure it didn't happen again. She could arrange the match afterwards.

Robi was playing solitaire. No one else was in the room. "Thought you'd be along." He spoke without looking at her, demonstrating his confidence in his ability to identify who had entered.

Lucina deepened her voice to what she hoped would be an imitation of Samus. "What?"

Startled, Robi looked up. A small smirk appeared on his face when he saw that it was his prey after all.

Lucina crossed the room and sat across from him. "Well?"

He gathered up the cards and shuffled them. Lucina knew he was purposely trying her patience, and she was determined not to let him see her ruffled. He dealt the cards for a game of War.

"How long are you expecting this discussion to take?" she asked as she picked up her pile.

"Considering how slowly you catch on to things, about as long as War."

"Did it not occur to you that the problem may lie in your pathetic ability to lay out your expectations; not in my ability to comprehend?" Lucina took his four with a nine.

"Why should such a thing occur to me?" He lost a six to her seven.

"That's right, I forgot. You can't fit more than one point of view in that head of yours," she noted, collecting his Jack with an Ace.

"Is there another point of view that I need?" He looked at her keenly as he laid a King on top of her ten.

She gave her focus to her cards to hide the fact that his probe had touched a sensitive area. "Almost certainly. Let me hear the story behind your actions, since it is clearly the most important, and then I will bring my complaint to the table." She lost a six to his Jack.

"You've smiled at Marth one too many times, Lucy. And what's with letting him get another girl? He's not allowed to be satisfied. Or was that unclear?" He'd won two more cards from her.

"Perfectly clear." She took one, silently wondering at how crisply she was speaking. She supposed it was the pressure. "Are you so thick in the head that you can't see that he's not satisfied? But, no doubt since you've never known love, you can't recognize what is and isn't true." She'd taken another.

"Prove it."

"There is a stellar example of your inability to convey your expectations. What sort of proof? Do you need a video recording of Peach telling Samus to get Marth off my back?" Lucina didn't know if that was true, but she was almost one hundred percent sure. "Do you need Marth to give you a signed confession of his feelings, and how he's willing to leave me alone, if that what's I want, because he's considerate?"

"Can you see why a Falcon Punch was in order?" he purred.

"You're being unreasonable! My friends are asking me what's wrong. They know that it's abnormal for me to treat someone that way, especially when it's someone as sweet as Marth. I have to smile or they'll find me out. My actions have to be _situational_ , or Marth _will_ find me out. He's not an idiot, Robi." She took his Jack with her King.

"That all sounds good," he said slowly, continuing to play. "I'll keep a sharper lookout. You'll have to excuse my inattention, but I don't care about Chrom as much as you do."

"Apparently he picks up on that vibe."

"Yeah. I always keep a tally running in my head of how many Smash Balls I have, so I can make sure that I use every one of them if I ever decide I'm done with him."

"You don't like to waste?"

"Not after the effort I put into getting those things. When I'm bored, I plan exactly how to kill him. Throw him around for a while, and then use the final one to shove him into a knife. Maybe use them all to weaken him, and then finish him up close and personal with my own two hands. Maybe let the guys have a final round with him before using the Smash Balls to repeatedly slam his head into a rock."

Lucina knew that all this was meant to reinforce her understanding of Robi as a man who went through with his plans, however unimaginable. She kept her mind on the cards as best she could, but her heart was caught up in the much bigger game being played. And it was pounding. Her hands were sweating and her mouth was dry.

"I have other things to do," she said finally, laying down her stack.

"Like what?"

"Like hanging out with people whose company I actually enjoy."

"But I was going to win."

"A brawl is more suited to my temperament." She stood up.

"Set one up, then."

"For tomorrow?"

"Sure."

* * *

 **So? Any thoughts or questions? Did you like it?**

 **I'm planning to change the title and summary to something that actually reflects the content of the story. The cover image will stay the same though, so y'all should still be able to identify it. :) Please review!**


	10. Chapter 10

**Second to last chapter, y'all! We're almost done! This was really hard to write, though, and I'm not sure why. There's violence, so be careful.**

 **Also, I renamed the story and redid the summary.**

 **Quick summary of some of what happened last chapter so no one is totally lost.** **Marth said that he needed to run one more test before launching the plan. The test would be one where Robin would summon Chrom from the mansion (she would have already summoned him from his room/cell) to help her during a brawl (using her final smash). Then they would be able to see whether Chrom would return to the mansion from the brawl, or if he would be sent back to his room. Lucina was going to set up a brawl between her and Robin so they could run the test, but ended up arranging the brawl with Robi.**

 **Reply to Arice: Hi! I'm glad you're enjoying the story. Thanks so much for reviewing! ^^ To answer your question, I did mean to say 'gulped', as in 'she ate the granola bar on her way out'. Sorry for the confusion! As for your suggestion about Robi and Lucina's brawl (which takes place in this chapter), it is a really good idea, but I didn't know how to motivate Robi to make another deal with Lucina. What more did he want from her? I'll keep it mind when I rewrite the story, though, and maybe I'll be able to make it work the second time around. Hopefully you're satisfied with this battle, though. :)**

* * *

Marth and Robin were surprised to hear that Lucina had arranged a match with Robi rather than Robin.

"You can still run the test, right?" she asked.

"Yes, but..." Marth protested.

"But what," she asked coldly. Her recent conversation with Robi was spurring her to renew her efforts to estrange Marth.

He shook his head and pretended to adjust the lasers of the avatar simulator.

Robin looked helplessly from him to Lucina. "We just want to make sure you're safe. You see what Robi does to Chrom; he'll find a way to hurt you too."

"That's why I want to brawl with him."

Marth continued to fiddle with the simulator and look away from Lucina. "If that's what you want to do, then so be it. There's another potential problem I'd like to discuss. Chrom mentioned that Robi might kill him. How likely do you two think that is?" He said 'you two', but looked at Robin, hands freezing over the lasers.

"I-I don't know. He's killed before, you know, but a human...? On the other hand, it would be the ultimate expression of power, particularly over Chrom, which is what he's always wanted."

Lucina cut in, "During our card game, he told me a couple ways that he'd planned out for killing Chrom. I'd say that if he's that invested, it's serious."

Marth nodded, but Robin's eyes narrowed. "He told you all that?"

She was reading the actions of her male counterpart. Lucina nodded with forced nonchalance, "So what's the problem, Marth?"

Marth shot a questioning glance at Robin and then looked back to Lucina. "Our current plan involves us cutting off Robi's supply of Smash Balls, and then letting him use up what he has right now (if it isn't found by the Hands, which it probably won't be). Of course, he'll be quite upset and will take that out on Chrom, but once he's out of Smash Balls, Robin just uses up our supply and gives our last Smash Ball to our avatar Robin who can't activate a dismissal, making Robi's threats and manipulations usless. Then Chrom can recover in the hospital. The problem is that if Robi is ready to kill, then we can't afford to...well, you know."

Lucina's jaw was clenched with frustration. "I see. Can we ask the Hands to hold off on publicizing new security measures? Then Robi wouldn't find out until it's too late."

Marth shook his head. "Not the Hands. They do things to the letter." His mouth curved into a mirthless smile.

"Besides," Robin added, "Robi has never let himself completely run out of Balls. He always restocks before using up an old supply. He'd find out."

The glimmer of an idea began to form in Lucina's mind. "But he'd purposely run out of Smash Balls to kill Chrom without waste, right?" she mused. "Then we'd have the monopoly. And if we could pull Chrom away before it was too late..." She shook her head. "It's too risky," she moaned. "We'd be betting that Robi would finish him by hand."

Robin's eyes lit up. "It's not as risky a bet as you might think. If he finishes the job by hand, then he's sure of not wasting any Balls. He'll use them all to weaken Chrom, then we can pull him out. It's still a bit of a risk, but we don't seem to have much choice in the matter."

"Unless Chrom doesn't want to risk it," Marth noted.

Robin laughed lightly. "He's the type to risk anything himself." She sighed, "It's nerve-wracking. We should ask though. He might have some thoughts. I'd like to have a moment with Lucina first, though."

"Please," Lucina put up a hand to quiet Robin. "Can we talk to Chrom first?" She could tell that Robin was catching on to some kind of...something between Robi and Lucina.

"Absolutely not," Robin replied firmly. She turned to Marth who was looking at the two women curiously. "Will you excuse us, please?"

Marth looked quickly at Lucina and nodded. "I'm going to the stadium. I... think I need a break."

Lucina knitted her brow. "Do you need to sleep? Robin and I can go somewhere else."

He shook his head, strapping Falchion to his belt. "The last thing I need is a nap."

Lucina picked up his cape from the bed. "Are you sure? I mean, no offense, but you don't look so well. And be honest; it's not a problem for Robin and I to go somewhere else."

He came and took the cape from her, throwing it around his shoulders and fastening it with the great ruby and gold pin. He didn't take his eyes from her face as he worked. His hard stare seemed intent on penetrating her and seeing what was going on inside. "I don't understand you, Lucina," he finally said. He turned and walked quickly to the door.

"What do you mean?" Lucina asked his back.

"One second you act like you hate me, and the next second you're concerned about me. And it's completely random." The door shut behind him.

Robin rushed to the door and pressed her ear against it until she was satisfied that Marth had moved on. Then she locked the door and turned to Lucina. "Let's see now," she began. "Robi has been telling you his plans. His plans are clearly frightening for you. I'll guess that means that he's trying to intimidate you."

Lucina held Robin's gaze and didn't reply.

The tactician's mouth tightened. "No answer, huh?" She walked to the bed and sat down.

Lucina sat down in one of Marth's kitchen chairs. She needed the support. Her mouth was dry. If Robin found out about her deal with Robi, Robi would consider that a double-cross by Lucina, whether she'd meant for it to happen or not. The point for him was that his design against Marth would be ruined.

Robin narrowed her eyes and continued, "If Robi is using his plans for Chrom to intimidate you, then he's probably holding Chrom as a sort of hostage. That's because he wants something from you-"

"Stop!" Lucina cried desperately. She jumped from her seat and faced Robin, stone-faced on the bed.

"You have to let me know what's going on, or he'll continue to exercise his power over you, Lucina. You can't fight him alone. If I hadn't had Chrom by my side for the time that I have, I would be a wreck now."

"Having someone fight with me _won't help_ ," Lucina hissed through clenched teeth. "Least of all someone Robi knows as well as he knows himself."

Robin's brown eyes widened for a moment before she gave a tight nod. "True enough, but at least think about confiding in Marth. I know you two aren't on great terms, but he's a kind of clever that Robi won't expect, and he's always willing to help."

Lucina almost shook her head, but caught herself. "I'll consider it," she said quietly, relaxing her defiant posture. "Thanks."

"No problem. I just," Robin hesitated. "I just want to know, did you mean to make me feel so awful that day in Marth's kitchen? When you brought up how I betrayed Chrom?"

"No," Lucina said softly. "But keep on thinking I did mean to hurt you. And keep acting that way."

After a moment, Robin nodded her agreement. "I understand. Now, shall we call Marth back and summon Chrom to talk about our risky plan?"

Lucina sighed. "I want to wait a little. Give Marth a chance to really unwind. I can tell he needs it, and I know he deserves it." She looked despairingly at Robin, "On the other hand, I know that what we're doing is extremely important, especially considering the risks. How long can we afford to wait?"

Robin smiled kindly. "Your concerns are valid, but we're going to want Marth at his best when we discuss things, so if you say he needs this, then we can afford to wait." Robin paused for a moment. "You know, Lucina, you might be able to make this breakup easier for both you and Marth if you would be consistent, especially consistently cold. Every time you lapse into your kind self, he can see that you've been putting on an act to push him away, and he finds your true sweetness and dedication to others attractive."

"I'll consider that too, Robin," Lucina sighed.

Robin nodded. "Maybe you'd like to rest?" Robin patted the bed in invitation before rising and going into the kitchen.

"Um, Robin, this isn't my room," Lucina called. "I can't just make myself at home."

"Lucina, please," Robin groaned. "He's not here, and I locked the door. If he comes back, I'll wake you up. If _anyone_ comes, I'll wake you up. 'Kay?"

"Okay," Lucina replied uncertainly.

Once she laid down and relaxed, she found that sleep had been waiting for her.

 **000**

Lucina spawned on Final Destination's platform. She was glad for this stage. The flatness was perfect for her Final Smash. And Robi's Final Smash, which was more to the point. She knew her job here: survive until Robi got a Smash Ball.

Robi spawned across from her, looking confident.

She didn't hesitate to charge at him. He had an Arcthunder ready before she reached him, but she jumped nimbly over it and slashed him from above with her blade. She followed up with her dancing blade, using her harder strikes.

As soon as the attack ended, Robi slashed with his levin sword and she met him with a counter that knocked him back. He came at her again with his sword and she marveled at his stupidity. She could counter much faster than he could strike. He started to slash and she countered.

Suddenly she found herself grabbed and thrown into the air. Robi had anticipated her counter and had canceled his strike to grab her. He'd played her well, she realized as she twisted in the air to avoid landing on an upwards strike. She landed in the blast of Arcthunder.

She activated her shield, looking across at her opponent, already preparing his next attack. She had underestimated him and his tactics. But then…his frown and tight lips showed her that he wasn't pleased with the events of this battle so far.

He had underestimated her as well.

The brawl resumed when a balloon dropped onto the stage between the two combatants. Lucina moved cautiously towards her side of the balloon. She was preparing to strike Robi as soon as he knocked the balloon upwards. She was pretty sure he was waiting on the other side to do the same to her.

She came to a decision and struck the balloon, instantly activating her shield. The balloon might hold the coveted Smash Ball. As it rose up, she saw Robi, through the plasma of her shield, standing across the stage. What was he planning now? She abandoned the protection of her shield as the balloon prepared to open and dump its mysterious contents.

"Thoron!" Robi yelled, hurling the magic attack towards her.

Lucina prepared to dodge the thunder when the balloon dropped a load of food, a wand, and a couple of those awful wind-up bombs. The bombs were detonated by the Thoron and Lucina was flung into the air by the blast. She recalled Marth in the stadium once, growling about his revenge on whoever had invented the explosives. It brought a small smile to her face as she flipped into a landing position.

Robi was bent over, gathering the food as quickly as he could. He jerked upright and tried to ward her off with a slash of his levin sword, but he'd picked up the wand and accidentally used it instead.

Lucina dodged easily and moved in with her dancing blade. Partway through the attack, she canceled and hit him with a strong forward strike like Marth had taught her. Then she rushed back to gather the rest of the food while Robi recovered.

They went at it fiercely now. A flurry of fire, thunder, swords, wind, and items. Their damage percentages rose and fell as they attacked and healed, and then Lucina chopped open a box and a Smash Ball floated up out of it.

She jumped at it without thinking, landing a powerful blow, and then turned midair to land away from it as she remembered that this was to be Robi's Smash Ball.

And Robi's victory.

She was well above the forty-five percent damage that guaranteed the tactician a KO with his Final Smash. She saw that he was slashing at the orb now and she attacked, driven by a stab of fear. She had practically fled from the Smash Ball. A tactical mind like Robi's would guess that something was up.

Robi grabbed her and threw her across the stage. Lucina sprang to her feet as Robi landed, eyes aglow with the power of the Smash Ball. She could only imagine the elation he was feeling at the energy coursing through him, at his dominance. He walked toward her, somewhat hesitant, and she knew that he had noticed how she'd given him the Smash Ball.

She narrowed her eyes and ran at him to force him into activating his Final Smash, when a sudden thought struck her and she sprang high into the air as Robi yelled 'Chrom!' There was a rush of air beneath her as the blue-haired swordsman raced just under the heels of her boots.

She charged up a blow as she came down on top of Robi. He was still recovering from the release of power and couldn't defend himself from her blade. With quick strikes she pushed him back to the edge of the stage a few feet away, then grabbed the tactician by his huge coat and threw him off the edge. Robi cast Elwind, but Lucina swallowed her fear of falling and jumped after him, spiking him. She fell with him, keeping up a steady barrage of sword strokes that foiled any attempts at recovery. He yelled with raging frustration as he saw that he would hit the blast zone first.

Lucina smirked.

In the aftermath room she stabbed her sword in the air. "Father…I won," she announced coolly.

If Marth's test had worked, then Chrom would be in the Hero King's room, having gone there after Robi's fruitless summoning. He'd be watching her victory on the TV.

She walked out of the aftermath room into the hall, since she couldn't warp into Marth's white closet. Robi followed her.

She shook off the hand he placed firmly on her shoulder, but he grabbed her arm and spun her around. "Chrom is so dead, Lucy."

"What?!" she gasped. "But I've done all you asked regarding Marth."

"You think?" He regarded her coldly. "Partnering with Mr. Hero King to do something about your daddy isn't giving him the cold shoulder. And I'm not going to give you any chance to help Chrom. He will never leave my power alive."

"You're a monster," Lucina said quietly, her mind working furiously to process what was happening and what she needed to do next to save Chrom.

"Well then too bad there aren't any heroes around to save you," Robi sneered. He turned on his heel, coat flying out, and left Lucina standing in the hall.

She had never wished so hard as then that she had taken just some of the money earned with Marth in order to buy a cellphone.

 **000**

"Peach!" Lucina called, knocking on the princess' door. "Peach, are you there?"

"Lucina?" Peach's voice came from within. "I just got out of the shower. Give me a moment."

"Please," Lucina was practically in tears. "I need you to hurry."

"I'm hurrying," came the reply. "Are you alright?"

"No."

A minute later, the door opened to reveal Peach in a long, pink bathrobe with her hair wrapped in a towel that was piled on her head. "Come in, Lucina." Concern was written all over her face and shone from her sapphire eyes. "What can I do for you?"

"I don't have time to explain, Peach, but I need Robi to be kept busy for the next hour. And I need to borrow your cellphone."

Peach raised her eyebrows, but didn't ask any questions. She motioned Lucina inside and hurried to the bedside phone. "My cell is on the counter in the kitchen," she informed Lucina as she picked up the receiver and dialed a number.

Lucina raced into the kitchen and picked up Peach's pink touch-screen phone from the counter. She turned it on and encountered a request for a passcode.

"Three, three, nine, three," Peach called from the other room.

"Thanks!" Lucina called back, typing in the numbers. She opened up Peach's contacts and scrolled to 'M'. Marth.

The dial tone droned in her ear for what seemed an interminable period of time. She could hear Peach. "Ike? Listen. I need you to hurry up and go find Robi. Then keep him occupied for an hour.

"I can't tell you why right now. I just need you to do this, kay?"

The dial tone cut off abruptly and was replaced with Marth's smooth voice. "Peach? What's going on? Is this about me and Lucina again, because I swear-"

"Marth," Lucina interrupted. "Robi knows that we're trying to rescue Chrom and he's going to kill him." Her voice broke. "Ike is going to try and stall him, but I think we need to activate the plan now."

"Sure thing, Lucina. The test was successful, so there's nothing standing in our way." There was a pause. "Can you keep Peach's phone and then use it to ring me when we need to pull Chrom out of whatever mess Robi puts him in? I was going to make some kind of button, but I wasn't expecting us to run this thing tonight."

"I'm sure Peach'll let me," Lucina quavered. "And, Marth, since Robi's going to kill Chrom anyway, I guess it's safe to tell you that he blackmailed me to force me to…be cold to you."

There was a moment of silence.

"What?!" Marth exploded in her ear. "And you couldn't tell me anything?! Not a hint? Do you have any idea how much you hurt me?"

"Marth," she pleaded. "You have to hear the whole story."

"About how you didn't believe that I could help you, when I spent the last couple of weeks and a third of my savings outsmarting that punk tactician?"

Lucina opened her mouth to reply, but Marth beat her to it.

"I don't want to have this conversation anymore. We've got a plan to operate. Your job is to ring me when it's go time. I'll take care of the rest."

"Okay. But, Marth-"

He hung up on her.

She didn't have time to feel anything because Peach was leaning against the kitchen doorway with her arms crossed and her fine eyebrows raised in question. "Save Chrom? Isn't he an avatar?"

Lucina shook her head. "He's not, and I need to get going. Can I borrow your phone until this is over."

"Fine," Peach agreed. "Robi's probably in the game room. And I expect a full explanation when this is all over."

"Which I'll be happy to give," Lucina assured her, hurrying past her and heading for the door. "It'll be wonderful to not have to hide anything anymore."

"And I hope Marth was polite?"

Lucina sighed as she opened the front door. "Give it some time, Peach."

 **000**

She found Robi in the game room as Peach had said. He and Ike were playing chess.

"Stupid move, Ike," the tactician snorted, pushing a piece along the board. "You need to think ahead, not just strike when the opportunity presents itself. You've got the mind of a common soldier…"

 _Yada yada yada_ , Lucina thought. She could tell by Ike's half-lowered lids that he was thinking the same thing.

The Radiant Hero pulled out his phone and checked it.

"Hey, big guy," Robi snapped. "You can't ask me for chess tips and then ignore what I'm saying. I'm sacrificing fifteen valuable minutes here."

"But I need help for longer than that if I'm going to be able to beat Sheik," Ike sighed.

Robi narrowed his eyes. "You were a lot more eager before you got me in here."

"I was a lot more eager before you started talking down to me," Ike corrected.

"I don't have time for this," Robi said angrily, pushing his chair back from the table. "You're going to be sorry you wasted my time, buddy."

Ike just looked at him. "It's only been ten minutes."

"Ten minutes is a lot of time when you actually have something to do with your life." The tactician got to his feet.

"Yeah. Notice the qualifier. You have to have something to do with your life." Ike was typing something on his phone.

"I do," Robi said coldly.

"What? Bug my friends?" Ike asked, just as coldly. "If you think that I haven't noticed that you seem to have your nasty hands in just about every problem around here, then you're not as aware as you make yourself out to be."

"I want you and your friends to know that I have the power to make you all miserable."

"Ha. You wish."

Robi turned and strode angrily towards the open door. Lucina didn't have time to move and he saw her standing there, watching him. A wickedly pleased smile appeared and he sped up.

Just as she was rallying her inner stores of pluck and endurance, Link stepped in front of her. "Hey, Robi, I never got to tell you how I felt about your little card trick."

Ike gave Link a thumbs up from across the room, behind Robi's back, and Lucina knew that the Hylian's entrance hadn't been a coincidence.

"Well I don't have time to hear it now," Robi retorted. "Move over before I report you for talking to me while grounded."

Link stayed where he was. "Stealing is a serious crime here at the Mansion," he said sweetly. "You made the mistake of telling Zelda, Peach, and Samus that you took my card and switched it with your own, and the dining hall cameras picked up your whole confession. The penalty for stealing is a week spent grounded. And you know the Hands; it doesn't matter what the object is, the rules will be followed to the letter."

Robi smirked, unfazed. "Do you think I didn't take that into account? It's not like the cameras pick up sound. It would be my word against theirs, and since I gave them the c-" He broke off abruptly, realizing that he was practically confessing to Link in the presence of both Ike and Lucina.

Link grinned and pulled out his phone. "All on the record now, buddy," he announced, pausing the audio recording. "Any last words?"

"I don't have time for this," Robi hissed, his face red with anger. "We can talk later."

"No time like the present," Link retorted, blocking the way as Robi attempted to push past him.

Robi pulled his own phone out of one of the deep pockets on his coat and held it threateningly in front of Link's face. "If you don't let me through, I will seriously report you."

Link flinched, but pressed his lips in a hard line. "Then we can have a nice, looong back-and-forth with Master Hand. How about that, huh?"

Lucina could tell by Link's reaction to Robi's threat that being reported while already grounded was going to result in severe consequences. She couldn't let that happen. Putting one hand on the lump in her front pants pocket that was Peach's phone, she stepped up to Link and put her other hand on his shoulder. "I need to speak with Robi, Link. Is that okay?"

He gave her a relieved look and she realized that he thought she was next in the chain of people stalling Robi for Peach. Adjusting his green cap, Link turned and walked off down the hall to where a bucket and mop were waiting for him.

Robi put his arm out for Lucina and she took it. His anger was still raging and he looked at her with a fire of hatred that chilled her blood. "I don't suppose you'd consider letting me out of your sight."

"Not for a moment," she replied coolly, hoping desperately that Chrom knew what was coming and was prepared.

"Good. I wouldn't want you to miss anything."

He led her outside. It was dusk and the sky was gray and heavy with clouds. Lucina could smell the rain in the thick air. Thunder rolled in the distance, bringing with it a sense of dread to Lucina's heart. She hurriedly reviewed Peach's passcode: _three, three, nine, three_.

Robi had slipped away his arm and was moving on ahead of her on the path flanked by the looming bushes, black in the twilight. She followed.

After nearly ten minutes of winding through the dark gardens, she realized that they were coming to the edge of the Mansion limits. And then Robi had stepped out beyond the limits.

"Uh, Robi, we're not allowed to go out there without permission." In her mind rang Marth's warning: Don't ever do anything to get you grounded.

"You don't need to follow."

Of course she needed to follow. She took a deep breath to clear her mind. If they were caught, at least they'd both be in trouble.

Several minutes later she could see a stretch of inky black ahead of them, with large black shapes scattered along. As they drew nearer, a flash of lightning tore across the sky and her heart jumped into her throat. It was the deep chasm Ridley had told her about. The one that went all the way around the Mansion grounds. The thought of Chrom falling, falling, falling to his death was suddenly in frightening focus. If Robi used his final smash ball to hurl Chrom off, would she have enough time to send the call to Marth and get her father out of there?

Boulders of various sizes were all around, and Robi stopped among them, his features indistinguishable in what was left of the light. "Let the end begin," he announced grandly, pulling a small box from his pocket. He flipped open the lid, releasing a burst of multicolored light, and took out a smash ball. Its brilliant glow was even more pronounced in the dark, illuminating his hand and reflecting off his eyes.

Robi absorbed it, instantly radiating light from his body. He looked ghastly as he ran towards a hulking rock. "Chrom!" he commanded.

"On my mark!"

Lucina could see that Chrom would be slammed into the side of the boulder before it happened, and there was nothing she could do to prevent it.

Robi jumped away as Chrom staggered back. The swordsman gripped the handle of Falchion and turned to face the tactician, dark among the rocks again. "What's going on?" he demanded.

"I'm finished with you, Chrom," Robi replied. "You've ref-"

"AAARRRGGG!" Chrom roared, leaping at his enemy, sword outstretched.

"I dismiss you!" Robi cried, dropping to the ground and rolling out of the way. Chrom was warped out in a flash of white light, and Robi got to his feet, glowing with the energy of another smash ball. Lightning flashed again.

Lucina had no weapons, but she could see Robi's bronze sword strapped to his belt under his tactician's coat. No doubt he planned to use it when he ran out of smash balls. If she could get her hands on it, then she might be able to maneuver Robi so that he couldn't slam Chrom into the rocks just the way he wanted.

But would that push Robi to throw his victim into the chasm? And how quickly would he resort to doing something like that if facing a sword? Would he feel the need to 'waste' smash balls and just kill Chrom quickly?

 _If only Robin were here_ , Lucina thought. _She would know how to deal with him_.

Robi had dumped the Smash Balls into his pocket and their glow seeped through the fabric, lighting up his now drawn sword. He was backed against a rock, shining with the energy of a Final Smash. "Chrom!"

There was the _clang_ of metal against stone on the other side of the boulder and Lucina ran towards it, keeping away from Robi. He charged at her with his sword and she easily whirled out of the way. "Chrom!" she cried. "He has a sword!"

There was no response. Robi continued to pursue her while looking around for the swordsman. Lucina knew he was debating dismissal, which would make this current opportunity cost another smash ball.

Suddenly she was tackled by a powerful force and flung away from Robi. Chrom was on top of her, twisting sideways so he could hold his sword in a defensive position against Robi. "You need to keep a low profile," he said in a voice so low Lucina could barely hear him. Then he was flinging out his sword arm and there was the clash of colliding blades.

Lucina rolled out from under the beleaguered swordsman, freeing him to fully face the tactician. Chrom had let her know that he had things under control for the plan.

Chrom struggled to his feet - his ankle wasn't too much better, forcing him to rely on his hands and good ankle - and parried Robi's thrust. The tactician was lucky that Chrom had been too rushed to have a returning thrust. Or had he perhaps known that there was little risk involved in his attack? Whatever it was, Lucina could see that Robi was no match for Chrom with a sword. A dismissal was certain.

"I dismiss you," Robi panted. He jumped back into a crouch, reaching into his pocket for another Smash Ball.

And so it went. Chrom was able to get in a few hits on Robi, but the tactician had the upper hand most decidedly. The boulders rang with the clash of steel as Chrom was slammed into rock after rock. Lucina shrank in the shadows, phone clenched tightly in her sweaty hand, and fear clutching her heart.

Chrom's movements were sluggish now, and they lacked power. Robi had begun to successfully bring his bronze sword into play. In the brief seconds of the warp light and the ever more frequent jagged streaks of lightning, Lucina could see blood on the ground, blood on the rocks, blood on both swords, and blood on the face and bare arm of the blue swordsman. Too much blood to be safe.

It was like she was caught in a repeating dream, and then they reached the finish. Robi groped around in his pocket for another smash ball. "This is it, Chrom. This is the end."

Chrom struggled to raise his head as the sky flashed with lightning and rain began to fall, turning his battered face towards his tormentor. "Please, Robi, think twice," he gasped.

"I think things through more than twice, Chrom, and this is my choice. I've given you more than enough opportunities to learn your place, and you refused to bow to my superiority." He was still feeling around in his pocket. "Now you'll learn once and for all who rules here. You and Robin and Lucina and everyone will know that you don't…mess…with me…" He trailed off, and Lucina could see his silhouette, hand frozen in his pocket.

"You're out of smash balls," Chrom exclaimed in disbelief.

"Impossible," Robi hissed. "I had one more. How could I have miscalculated?" He turned a face filled with hate on the wounded man. "I'm plenty strong enough without them. I can still kill you and dismiss the body. No one needs to know."

 _Three. Three. Nine. Three. Marth._ Lucina took one moment to confirm that the call had been sent, then slipped the phone into her pocket and leapt forward. "But you're not stronger than me," she cried, pouncing on the tactician and bringing him to the ground.

She sat on top of him, pinning down his arms. He struggled under her, but he was winded from his sport with Chrom and she held him down.

She remembered her first day at the Mansion, ruined by the revelation of Robi's secret.

Here was her chance to get back at him.

She remembered how he forced her into the brawl because she insulted his 'honor'. And how he insulted Marth.

She envisioned her fist connecting solidly with his jaw.

She remembered how he stole Chrom that first night she had met him in Robin's room.

She imagined forcing an apology from him.

The dark cloud that had followed her. The worry she and Robin had had to live with on a daily basis. The injuries and loneliness that Chrom had borne to provide amusement for the tactician and his friends.

Robi wouldn't think pain was quite as funny when she was through with him.

There was the flash of the warp light and Lucina knew that she and Robi were alone now. And this time, she had the upper hand.

She remembered Link's crushed spirit and Zelda's tears.

She raised her fist unconsciously. Robi yanked one of his arms free and put it up to block her. She grabbed his wrist and twisted his arm, pinning it down again. He grunted with pain as he tried, unsuccessfully, to break free.

The bitter memory of Marth's hurt at the breakup he didn't understand flooded Lucina's mind. His sacrifice of his plan - his dream - in order to stop Robi. His efforts to repair his relationship with her, despite the pain of continual rejection. But despite all he'd suffered from her, Marth had stayed kind and devoted to helping her.

She looked down at Robi, glaring at her, with the rain pouring down on his face, and knew that she never wanted to stoop to his level and hurt someone who was in her power. That wasn't how she was going to get her satisfaction and victory.

Suddenly Robi jerked his other hand free. Lucina grabbed at it and dragged it out of the inside of his coat where he'd slipped it. His hand was balled in a fist from which a weak, colored glow was emanating. "If you know what's good for Chrom, you'll let go," he said in a horrible voice.

She let go.

"Get off me."

She obeyed.

The rain was falling fast now in stinging drops, but Lucina didn't notice it. She wasn't sure her heart was beating. What had gone wrong?

Robi got to his feet and moved to the cliff edge, then turned to face her. "Do you want this? Because I want it too. It's the one I put in my pocket when we made the agreement that you broke, if you were wondering," he added. "I forgot it was there, but I didn't miscalculate the number of Smash Balls I had. Won't Chrom be surprised."

Robi glanced at the ground where Chrom had been lying. "Robin summoned him," he noted. Lucina knew better.

Robi faced the cliff edge again. "I will summon Chrom and send him over the edge," he announced. "In his state, he won't survive the fall."

All Lucina could think was that she'd sent the call too soon and hadn't knocked Robi senseless when she had the chance. The plan would fail, Chrom would die, and it would all be her fault. Before she knew what she was doing, she had stepped between Robi and the cliff edge and was grasping his coat in her two hands for all she was worth. "If you send him over, you'll go too," she threatened through clenched teeth. She could see him think this over.

"I agree to some extent," he said finally. "Here's how the scenario will go, correct me if I'm wrong. I summon Chrom. He goes through me and knocks into you. That throws you over, effectively breaking his heart and spirit. That also pulls me over, seeing as how you are currently holding onto my coat. Chrom, being sandwiched between us, also goes over. We hit the rocks and water in this order - you, Chrom, myself. You, being crushed by two grown men, die, either quickly or slowly. Chrom, being badly injured, having a broken spirit, and having his daughter dead, dies or loses the will to live and drowns. I am cushioned by both of your bodies, and I am young and in good physical condition. I shrug off my coat and catch hold of a rock or swim to shore. I dismiss Chrom's body and when everyone shows up, I claim that I saw you fall in and jumped in after you, but I was too late. I am an unfortunate man. You and Chrom are dead. Sound good?"

Lucina's eyes were wide with horror. "We might turn over while falling," she whispered.

"It's a possibility," he admitted. "But it's unlikely that we will turn over sufficiently to harm me enough so that I can't finish on you and Chrom what a fall from that height and in that position will have started."

Robi lifted his hand in the air, the Smash Ball between his fingers, raindrops dripping from his hand and chin. Lucina didn't dare take her hands from his coat or her eyes from his face, waiting for him to start glowing.

A streak of colored light suddenly came into view far away by the Mansion. The next second, it had flashed among the boulders, heading towards the pair on the cliff edge, and slammed into Lucina, knocking her loose from Robi and shoving her on the ground, away from the dangerous drop.

The glow of light subsided, but not before Lucina saw that Marth had taken her place between Robi and the edge.

The Hero King had the element of surprise on his side and he took advantage of it. Lucina watched Marth's dark shape land a punch in Robi's stomach, winding the tactician, and then reach up and close his fingers around the Smash Ball, wresting it from Robi's grasp.

Robi didn't waste another moment. He gave his enemy a hard push on the chest with both hands. Marth flung his arms out in an attempt to steady himself, and Robi had the opening he needed to land the final blow that sent Lucina's rescuer over the cliff.

* * *

 **Please don't forget to review. It's so exciting to see reviews. ^^ The next chapter should be the last one. Hopefully it won't take me as long to write.**

 **How was the brawl between Robi and Lucina? I'm not very good at writing fight scenes, but I tried hard. Junior BLD's level of skill is my inspiration when it comes to fight scenes. :)**

 **Please let me know if anything is unclear, and I'll try to fix it.**


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